Time
by Khintress
Summary: Sometimes it went too slow. Sometimes there wasn't enough of it. But everyone knew, they were quickly running out of it. OCs   Continuation of Distance.
1. Chapter 1

**_AN: _And h**ere it is, finally. No more waiting, no more worrying. Right? :)****

_****EDIT: ****_****Alright, here's where Time begins, simply because Distance was getting much too long. ;) Again, I apologize for spamming everyone's inbox!****

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><p><em><strong>96<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

The rest of the day, and the morning after, left everyone in miserable disarray. The only expressions were ones of grief, pain, and sadness; the only movements were the occasional heave of a chest, and Ron's hand rubbing comforting circles on Hermione's back as she cried into his shoulder; and the only sounds were sobs and sighs.

Until the faint buzzing that shook Harry from his hollow state of solitude. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out his new phone. She'd bought it for him, Taylor had. Paid for the plan and hid it in his trunk after they'd boarded the Hogwarts Train.

That thought in itself led to a new wave of grief washing over him.

Sadly, and slowly, he pressed the talk button and put the phone to his ear, a hoarse 'hello' escaping his lips as he got up and walked into the hallway.

"Harry," He heard Sirius's voice, and the tone of it made him worry. It was urgent, as though it was the most important call in the world.

"Yeah…?" But the only call he wanted now was one telling him that his best friend was back from the dead.

"You need to get back here as soon as you can." He said seriously, the smallest tone of happiness in his voice.

How he could be _happy_ in a time like this was beyond Harry.

But the words that followed quickly enlightened him.

* * *

><p>I pushed my hair back, the warm water streaming down my numbed body. I was glad for the hot water, especially after the nearly freezing shower I'd had in the little motel.<p>

I was also glad that I had thought to bring my shampoo with me, considering it seemed that Kreacher had stolen the hygiene products.

I waited for my body to thaw entirely before stopping the water flow. I dawned my baggy gray track pants and a yellow tank top before rubbing my towel over my head and brushing my hair. Due to being on 'break' – not that I would consider it that – I was unable to dry my hair with magic.

The room I was given contained not only my luggage, but what I assumed was Hermione and Ginny's as well. Their own whereabouts however, were a mystery to me. Sighing, I stared in the mirror and wondered how I was going to explain the happenings of the last 24 hours to everyone.

Just then however, I heard the door open downstairs. Curious, and longing for communication, I walked to the bedroom door. As I gripped the doorknob, I heard the stairs creak, and by the time I opened it completely, our guest had reached the open doorway.

Harry stood, stunned, his face red and his eyes wide.

* * *

><p>He wrapped his arms around her without a second's hesitation, holding her to him fiercely and gripping the back of her shirt as he tried to prevent the tears from rushing to his eyes.<p>

She was surprised at first, but silent, and she soon smiled softly, sadly, and returned the gesture. Her fingers threaded through his hair as his chest heaved, and his hand held the back of her head as he kissed it thankfully.

"I'm ok." She whispered lovingly, her hair smelling of fruit as it dampened his skin. "I'm alright."

"We…I…thought you were…"

"I know," She hushed, feeling the tears stinging her eyes at the thought. "But I'm ok Harry…we're ok…"

He pulled back, not releasing her, and she smiled up at him. His hands slid up to hold her face, and she placed her right hand over his, turning her head to kiss his palm.

The faintest of smiles graced his tired lips, and he leaned down to place them on hers. She wound her fingers through his hair again, the other resting on his jaw as she pulled him closer.

She was ok.

They were all ok.

* * *

><p>We sat downstairs, at the dining room table, and I explained carefully what had happened; the ministry workers, the death eaters, the crash and everything else.<p>

Harry and Sirius took it with hard expressions, and worried scowls.

I knew though, that they had only one person on their mind.

Voldemort was now at the top of our priority list – and this meant harsher training as soon as we returned to school. Assuming Umbridge didn't find out about 'Dumbledore's Army' and expelled all of us.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have your phone on you?" I asked anxiously, after finishing my tale. "I need to…well, I need to call…"

"I got it," He offered a small smile, pulling his phone from his sweater pocket and handing it to me. "I take it yours died before you had a chance?"

"Yeah…"

He nodded, and I stood up from my chair as Dad scratched at the back of his neck. He didn't know Harry or Sirius all that well, but he would have to deal, as the phone call I had to make was one meant solely for my, and my contact's ears.

Stepping out into the hall, I punched in the number I knew off by heart, forwards, upside down, inside out and backwards.

It rung once, twice, three times as I ascended the first set of stairs, and by the seventh ring, I had reached my temporary room.

I began a steady decline into irritation until finally; I heard the phone pick up.

"Hello?"

_Thank god! _And I could hear her, instead of airport static.

"Alyssa…hey."

"Who is this?" Her voice was hoarse and soar, as though she'd been crying, and I felt my heart drop.

"'Lyssa…it's me. It's Tay,"

There was a pause, a moment of silence that turned the air cold.

"Whoever this is, it's not funny. I'm not in the f*cking mood."

Her voice grew more distant, unimpressed, upset, and in a moment of panic, I realized she was hanging up. She thought I was dead; and I was on Harry's phone so she wouldn't even recognize the bloody number!

"No! Alyssa! It's me! I swear to you, it's Taylor!"

"How?" She cried, and I winced at the sudden swing in tone. "Explain to me how exactly my _dead_ best friend is calling me from a number I don't know!"

"I didn't get on the plane! Alyssa, I'm fine; me and Dad are with Padfoot. I tried calling from the airport, but – "

"Prove it." She demanded, sounding as though she was struggling to keep her composure.

"Prove it? Wha - ?"

"Tell me something only we would know. Prove to me that you're not just some asshole thinking that this is some hilarious f*cking joke."

"What…? What do you want me to say?" I asked, wishing this was easier. I knew regretfully that I had done this to her. I had hurt her like this, and now she didn't believe that I was alive.

"Something! _Anything!_"

It sounded like her attempts at keeping the tears at bay were failing, and I could hear sobs in her voice that pulled at my heart and made me want to cry with her.

"We've known each other for eleven years." I said quietly. "When we were ten, you had a crush on a boy named Jason. We have a party every year around this time, because we prefer having snowball fights over sun tanning." I let out a small, sad laugh, but gained nothing from her in response. "We had our first major fight this year," I offered, "It was over a boy; the one thing we promised we'd never do. And I missed my chance to say goodbye to you on the train; something I regret more than anything. Because I need to tell you that I'm sorry; for everything."

I waited a few moments, and wiped a stray tear from my cheek with the heel of my hand as the line became silent. I thought for a second that she had left, but her shaky breaths told me otherwise. I was thankful for that, at least.

"Me too…" She choked out, and I took a hopeful, deep breath. "I'm so sorry…Tay…I – I'm sorry! So – so sorry!" She was crying on the other line, and being unable to hug her close and prove to her that I was whole blurred my vision with salty tears. "The paper - ! I – it said the plane crashed and I couldn't tell you! You were gone and I couldn't tell you that I was sorry! That I don't care that you want to keep it to yourself and that I love you…!"

"I love you too Alyssa…" I smiled happily, my voice cracked as I spoke through my sobs. "I'm sorry I couldn't reach you sooner…I'm sorry you had to go through that…all of it. I tried calling from the airport, but all I got was static and bits and pieces of someone's voice – "

"You called…?"

"Yeah – someone picked it, but there wasn't enough service." I sniffed, rubbing my eyes. "Some guy…I couldn't make out who it was…are you still at Hogwarts?"

"N…no…"

"No…you're not at home though?"

"No, I'm not. Listen Tay, don't get upset, but – "

"Alyssa."

"Huh?" She stopped, and I bit my lip and took a shuddering breath.

"Alyssa, your parents were on the plane."


	2. Chapter 2

_**97**_

_**Alyssa**_

"W…What do you mean, my parents were on the plane?" The shock hadn't worn off yet that she was alive; I didn't think it ever would. But she was telling me that the plane that had crashed, had my parents on it.

"I mean, when we were in line to board the plane, I saw your parents in line ahead of us. I saw them go on through to the plane."

"You mean…. You can't seriously mean that… They were on that plane when it- when it…" I choked on my words. It was one thing that I had thought my best friend was dead; But to find out from her that my parents had gotten on that plane? The one that had crashed into the Atlantic?

I couldn't think about that fact right now, not now that I knew my other half was still alive, and not dead like I thought.

The door to my room opened, and Draco came in, with a House Elf following him, bearing a tray for supper. He piqued an eyebrow upon seeing me talking, and mouthed, 'Who is it?'.

I shook my head.

"I need to see you. Where are you?"

She let me know, and I hung up quickly, going across to my closet to find my cloak.

"Who was it?"

"It was Tay."

"Taylor? As in, your best friend?"

"Yes."

"I thought she was dead!"

"Hell apparently, didn't agree with her." I stated, finding my cloak. "Can I borrow your fireplace?"

"You won't be allowed. The fireplaces are all being monitored by the Ministry."

"Draco, I seriously need to go see her."

He hesitated for a moment.

"Drake." I walked to him, putting my hands to the side of his face. "My parents… Were on that plane. That's what she told me. I have to go home and check. They would be home by now. Or, I can send them our family owl. I have to know."

He stayed silent, than finally. "My father is good with the Minister. I'm sure he could allow something."

* * *

><p>I paced my room, impatient and anxious for what Draco's father might say. Drake had left fifteen minutes ago to see if it would be alright. But I intended to go back home for another reason.<p>

Taylor had told me she was at Grimmauld place. And that was where Sirius was. So, being at the Malfoy's, I couldn't just step into their fireplace and yell, "13 Grimmauld place!" I had to go somewhere that was private. Like my house. As I waited for Draco to get back, I figured I had to stop pacing before I wore a path into the floorboards.

_I could read._

I had brought a book with me to school, one that I had intended on reading for a while. It was titled, _The Last Thing I Remember_, by Andrew Klavan. I hadn't started it yet, but figured now was as good a time as any. It would occupy my mind for a little while. I grabbed my trunk from under the bed, and rummaged around until I found the book. Opening to the first page, I settled back onto my bed.

_**Chapter One**_

_**The Torture Room**_

_Suddenly I woke strapped to a chair._

"_What…?" I whispered._

_Dazed, I looked around me. I was in a room with a concrete floor and cinder block walls. A single bare light-bulb hung glaring from a wire above me. Against the wall across from me was a set of metal white drawers. A tray was attached to it. There were instruments on the tray- awful instruments -blades and pincers and something that looked like a miniature version of those acetylene torches welders use. The instruments lay on a white cloth. The cloth was stained with blood._

_The sight of the blood jolted me into full consciousness. I tried to move my arms and legs. I couldn't. That's when I saw the straps. One on each wrist holding me to the chair's metal arms. One on each ankle holding me to its metal legs. And there was blood here too. More blood. On the floor at my feet. On my white shirt, on my black slacks, on my arms. And there were bruises on my arms, dark purple bruises. And there were oozing burn marks on the backs of my hands._

_I hurt. I kind of just realized it all at once. My whole body ached and stung inside and out. My shirt was soaking wet. My skin felt clammy with sweat. My mouth tasted like dirt. I smelled like garbage._

_Have you ever had a nightmare, a really bad one, where you woke up and you could feel your heart hammering against the bed and you couldn't catch your breath? Then, as you started to understand that the nightmare was real, that it was all just a dream, your heart slowed down again and your breathing got deeper and you relaxed and thought,__**Whew, that sure seemed real.**_

_Well, this was exactly the opposite. I opened my eyes expecting to see my bedroom at home, my black-belt certificate, my trophies, my poster of__**The Lord Of The Rings.**__Instead, I was in what should have been a nightmare, but wasn't. It was real. And with every second, my heart beat harder. My breath came shorter. Panic flared up in me like a living flame._

_Where was I? Where was my room? Where were my parents? What was happening to me? How did I get here?_

_Terrified, I racked my brain, trying to think, trying to figure it out, asking myself in the depths of my confusion and fear: What was the last thing I remembered…?_

That was the end of the chapter. The person- it hadn't told what the gender was -was strapped to a chair, unsure of how they had gotten there, or wherever _there_was.

At the same time I finished the chapter, and was about to start another one, when the door opened and Draco came in.

"Father says it should be alright. He's cleared it with the Minister."

"Thank you, Draco! I owe you!" I cried, hugging him and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

As I was leaving the room, I remembered something from the night before.

"Hey Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Since when have I been your girlfriend?"

"Since now."

I shook my head, smiling as I closed the door.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, I was stepping out of my family's fireplace into the living room. Our home was a modest place, not too large but not too small. It was in a Muggle city, but our neighbourhood was spotted with witches and wizards as well as the muggles.<p>

The emptiness I experienced just from stepping out of the fireplace was immense. It felt as if no one had been here for years, but really, had been empty for more than a week.

"Gerek!" At once, a cloud appeared in front of me, clearing to let me see our house elf. He wore a pillowcase, cinched at the waist, with holes through the sides. The pillow case had been clean the last time I saw it; Now, it was covered in soot.

"Yes, Miss?" He bowed low to the floor, arms behind his back.

"Have my mother and father been here recently?"

"No, miss. Haven't seen them since they left for trip, miss."

They hadn't been home since they left…

"Will there be anything else, miss?"

"…No, you can go." I muttered, and he vanished with a snap of his fingers.

I sat down on the couch, not sure how I was feeling.

_They might still be on their trip,_my heart said hopefully.

_They would have owled me,_my brain argued.

I might have never seen my parents that much, but they were still my parents. They had taken care of me all my life, taken me to the train station for my first day of Hogwarts, bought my first broom.

"_Can we go now, Daddy? Please?" I tugged at his sleeve, for that was the tallest I could reach, being only seven._

"_Yes, dear. Let me finish my breakfast first, than we can go."_

_I waited impatiently beside him, butterflies of excitement fluttering around, bumping into walls. When it felt like I could wait no longer, he took a final sip of his coffee, and got up, folding his newspaper on the table._

"_Will you be Apparating?" My mommy asked, flicking her wand at the dishes in the sink._

"_Yes. She wouldn't like going by Floo powder, I think." He nodded, than looked down at me._

"_Are you ready?"_

"_Yes, daddy." I grinned, tugging his hand to go into the living room. Mommy laughed behind us, following to say goodbye. She waited for him to put his cloak on, than gave him a quick kiss on the cheek._

"_Don't be too long, dear. We have guests coming over tonight, remember?" She gave him a look, one that I couldn't understand. He nodded, face smooth._

"_Do you remember how to Apparate, Alyssa?"_

"_Hold my breath and keep hold of your hand," I recited, remembering the words that I had memorized._

"_Good girl," He smiled, and I squeezed his hand. I took in all the air I could, and we turned on the spot, everything disappearing before my eyes. I felt like I was trying to put on a dress or a shirt too small for me; something was pushing my tummy in, and it felt like forever. Just as I couldn't hold my breath anymore, the dark turned to light, and we were standing in Diagon Alley._

_I looked up at my daddy, to see him rubbing a spot on his arm._

"_What's wrong?" I asked, worrying that daddy was hurt._

"_Nothing, dear. Just scratching a bug bite." He stopped rubbing his arm, smiling down at me._

_{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}_

_After searching through many brooms much too big for me, and finding one that was perfect for my size, daddy bought it. I couldn't wait to get home and try it, I was so excited._

"_How about we get some ice cream before going back home?" Daddy asked, and I grinned wide. I loved ice cream. I nodded, running ahead of him and tugging his hand, impatient at how slow he was going._

_When we finally reached the ice cream store, and I decided on chocolate with pumpkin sprinkles, we sat down at one of the tables. As I ate, I saw Daddy rubbing his arm again._

_I didn't say anything, but wiped my hand on a napkin- mommy said it was impolite to wipe my hands on my clothing -and reached for his sleeve, pushing it up. As he protested, I had the sleeve up to his shoulder, and saw that he had a mark on his arm._

_Before I could ask, he pushed his sleeve back down, giving me a smile._

"_Just a picture daddy got put on his arm, dear. But that doesn't mean it makes it alright for you to draw on your arm."_

"_I know," I said, wanting to look again at the picture._

* * *

><p>I hadn't remembered that part of the trip to Diagon alley until now. I had been seven, I usually didn't look back that far into my memories.<p>

_Picture…_

Dad had called it a picture; Now that I was older, I knew it was a tattoo. I hadn't gotten the chance to see what it was, only that it was-

My heart stopped for a second.

_I was seven, I could have made a mistake in what I saw._

But I knew that I wasn't, hadn't, been wrong. Dad had been sure that I didn't ask about his arm again. I never saw him rub it after that day.

It had been black. Of course, a lot of tattoos were black, but this one, was a different type of black.

"Snake." I jumped off the couch, and ran for the fireplace, needing to go to Taylor.

I needed her to tell me that my assumption was wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

_**98**_

_**Taylor**_

"So…" I coughed, scrunching my nose as I felt a sneeze come on. "Where's everyone else?" Harry looked back over his chair to look at me – of course, at the exact moment I made my 'retarded sneeze' face.

"Ah – _choo!_" I doubled over, my knee jerking up and nearly smacking me in the forehead. I groaned afterwards, hoping to get my point across.

_OW._

Harry chuckled lightly at me, before his mind returned to my question. His smile then slipped regretfully off his lips, and I inquired again as to the location of the rest of our family.

"We were at the hospital." He answered quietly, turning back around to face the table again. I quickly took the seat beside him, and tried to catch his eye as the word 'hospital' resonated in my mind.

"Why, in the name of God, were you at the hospital?" I whispered, seeing Sirius shift uncomfortably beside my Dad.

"I…I had a dream…it…ugh, this sounds stupid."

"You had a dream…?" I drawled. That was hardly a reason to check yourself into a medical hospital.

"Well, yeah, but…see, in this dream, I…I was a snake. I wasn't _watching _the snake, I _was_ the snake. And it…_attacked_…Mr. Weasley."

"That's…intriguing…" I speculated, leaning on the table and biting my lip as my heart skipped a beat and then doubled.

"No…! It…it actually happened! I dreamt that a snake attacked – that _I_ attacked Mr. Weasley, and it _happened_."

I furrowed my brow, and sat up in the chair, taking a deep breath.

"Are you saying…are you saying my Uncle's in the hospital…because a _snake_ attacked him?"

"It…happened at the Ministry…and it was a giant snake." He confirmed, running a hand through his hair. My lips parted and my eyes widened as I tried to think of something to say.

"Bloody hell…"

And then it hit me.

"That's why he wasn't at the airport. Harry," I looked at him frantically, eyes wide. "If that snake hadn't attacked Mr. Weasley, he would've gotten on that plane to Florida."

Snake attack or plane crash? Christmas wasn't looking too pleasant for Uncle Arthur right then. It was disturbing and horrible to think that a nearly fatal attack had actually saved his life in the long run…

I dropped my head to the table, my breathing harsh as I tried to prevent more waterworks. My uncle was in the hospital, my best friend's parents were presumably dead, _I_ was almost dead, and I still couldn't find my cell phone charger.

But that was hardly the point.

"He's ok though…right…?" I murmured, turning my head a little to look at Harry from the table. He pushed some of my hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear, and nodded.

"Yeah, or, as well as he can be. The healers are having a fit trying to…well..."

I winced, nodding as best I could in my position, and sighed deeply, feeling my ribs ache as I did so.

"So…what do we do until he's back then…?"

I looked up to see my Dad looking uncertain, watching Harry a little _too_ closely as he turned as well.

What _would_ we do? I'd already done all my Christmas shopping; I even saw the majority of the presents I'd bought under the huge tree in the corner of the room. I'd placed Dad's there as well, but Aunt Giselle's had been sent home with one of the school's owls.

"We could go visit Uncle Arthur…" I suggested, shrugging. "Or we could just sit here and not die for the next five days."

"Maybe you should rest for a while – we can visit Mr. Weasley tomorrow." Harry offered, looking back to me with an uncomfortable look on his face. I raised an eyebrow slightly at the expression, but a quick glance at my father, and I understood.

He looked as though he was trying to decipher something, and seeing as he was watching Harry and I a few moments ago, I assumed it was our behaviour he was trying to figure out.

I couldn't help but chuckle quietly in embarrassment when I realized why.

Harry cocked an eyebrow at, and Sirius hummed contently to himself as Dad coughed and rubbed his wrist. I was thankful I thought to put a sweater on before coming downstairs, as my sentences became irritatingly itchy.

I nudged Harry's foot as I got up, thanking Sirius before excusing myself to go look for my charger again. He gave me a knowing smile as I left, and I had a feeling that he knew more than he let on.

But of course he did, sneaky man that he was.

I reached under my sleeve and scratched my arm with satisfaction as I ascended the first set of stairs. The floorboards creaked as I walked towards the room I was to share with Ginny and Hermione, and as I stopped, I heard the stairs continue to groan.

"What's up?"

I leaned against the wall as Harry caught up, intrigued.

"You saw it too, right?" I inquired, referring to my father's odd stares.

"Your Dad? Yeah…"

"He's trying to figure out why we're acting differently."

His eyebrows arched to the slightest degree, and I chuckled.

"So…you haven't told him then? About…?"

I shook my head and pursed my lips, taking a deep breath with a sheepish grin.

"He's probably figured it out already, anyway." I shrugged. "About 'us'."

"Us…" He repeated, as though it sounded odd. Which it did…sort of; kissing one of your best friends isn't something you get used to right away.

"There is…'us' right…? I mean…" I tried to clarify, to make sure. It was a bit uncertain, seeing as the extent of our 'date' definition was 'this one time, in the library.'

"Yeah…uh, I mean…you know…" He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat as I mulled over what to do about _this_ situation now. "We…could…make it 'official'."

"Hm?" My eyes snapped back up to meet his, and he shrugged with his crooked grin. "Wednesday? We could spend tomorrow with the Weasleys, and go somewhere Wednesday, if you'd like."

"Like, a date?" I chuckled, smiling at the thought.

"Unless you wanna call it something different." He responded. I nodded and laughed, imagining myself on a date, not with 'The Boy Who Lived', but with my best friend.

"Yeah," I agreed, "A date sounds nice."


	4. Chapter 4

**_AN: _One more chapter until we reach 100! And to _Sigrid_ ~ thank you so much for all your reviews! They mean so much to us! :) 3**

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><p><em><strong>99<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

By the time I landed in Grimmauld's place's fireplace, it had only been a few seconds since my first initial thought of my father being a-

I couldn't think like that.

I stepped out, worried and needing to be reassured.

"Taylor?" I yelled, but only received empty silence. I ran out of the basement kitchen, my steps loud against the flagstones. My cloak billowed behind me, a black fabric flying on the wind.

"Taylor!" I yelled again, coming into the main hallway. Footsteps shuffled inside the drawing room, and I threw the door open.

Sirius was standing at the other wall, looking at the family crest. He turned, upon hearing the door.

"Alyssa? What are you- Oh, Taylor?"

"Yes." I breathed. "Where is she?"

"Upstairs with Harry,"

I turned and left the room.

"You're welcome!" He yelled, cut off with the door closing tight. I ran up the stairs, and stopped, listening for any type of sound.

Everything was quiet for a split second, and than I heard a bed creak.

And I had pushed that door open, to see Harry sitting on the bed, with her in front of him.

Time had stopped.

Harry looked up to see me, and seeing his gaze, Taylor turned to look at what he was watching. She seemed to move in slow motion, her hair twirling around with the motion of her head.

I was running to her, blinded by tears. My cloak was flying out behind me, like a superhero cloak in the air.

I ran into her, hugging her tight and not wanting to let go. I had let go once before, and I had found out that she had been dead.

I'd never let go of her again.

My sobs escaped my throat as I burrowed my face in her shoulder, happy to have her solid frame here, alive, healthy.

"I thought you were gone," I choked, my hair falling over her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Lyssa." She whispered, voice hoarse.

"Don't you ever go anywhere without me, you hear me? You're not allowed out of the country, or anywhere near an airport, or out of the house…"

"I promise." I knew she didn't totally mean it, but it was comforting to just hear her voice. It told me she was alright.

Alive and well.

My heart was on its way to becoming repaired.

* * *

><p>After I had stopped crying in relief and wiped my eyes, we all sat down and just…Talked.<p>

It was something we hadn't done in a long while. Our discussions had always been related to something of the utmost importance, and now, we just sat and talked.

Harry told us about the dream he had had about Mr. Weasley. Or rather, told me, as he had already told Taylor. It worried me, because we both knew that if it had come true, and Voldemort knew of the connection, than he could do something to Harry.

Or through…

I wanted to tell Harry about my suspicions of my father, but I wasn't sure it was a good idea. He wouldn't judge me, I was sure of that; but something just made me uncomfortable with telling him.

I then realized something important.

"Oh _shit."_

"What's wrong?" Taylor asked, glancing at me.

"Um… Nothing. Except… I should probably get going. I've…er…"

"What?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, her voice questioning.

"I just need to get going, is all. I've left someone alone for a while now, and I'm sure they wouldn't be happy if I were gone too long…"

She narrowed her eyes even more, than looked at Harry.

"Give us a minute, would you?" He seemed curious, but nodded and got up off the bed, closing the door behind him. We heard footsteps shuffle away to the room a few doors, down, and silence.

"Alright, what are you hiding?"

"What am _I_hiding? Are we really going to start this?"

"I thought you wouldn't tell me in front of Harry. He's gone now."

_Might as well tell her…_A voice chided me, waiting for the response I would get.

"Well… You might not… Like this, but… Er…"

I explained my story with as little pause as possible, because I knew just by the look on her face that Taylor wasn't at _all_pleased.

"So what, the moment I leave, you go off with Malfoy? Did we _not_just have a huge blow out over this? Or am I imagining things?"

"No, I'm sorry… I'm just… I don't know what's happening, Taylor… I know what you're thinking, too… One minute, he's a huge asshole that we want dead, the next minute, he's… Well…"

"Somehow managed to establish emotions? Yeah, I think something's wrong with this picture." She pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing deeply.

"I want you to tell me something, Lyss. What the hell am I going to _do_with you? How on Earth can I trust you to go off alone? I turn my back and World War Three will start because you broke something."

"Nice to see you care so much." I deadpanned, grimacing in regret.

And I hadn't even told her about my drunken kiss.

"I have your best interests at heart, honestly, I do. But sometimes… You just make me want to throttle you for being so innocent yet so conniving at the same time. If I could pull off half the shit you could, you know how much of the world I would own by now?"

"I wouldn't know. Obviously it hasn't happened yet; we would know."

"God, you drive me crazy, you weirdo…" She sighed.

"Oh yeah… One more thing to tell you…"

"You had **better **not tell me you're pregnant. I'll kill you."

"No! Of course not! I wouldn't do that…" I sighed, and continued.

"I was thinking about what you told me… With my parents being on that plane… They told me that they were going away on business… And I'm sure they did, but… I remembered something just before I got here…"

I replayed the memory for Taylor, not sure of what to do. I might be dangerous if told to be, loving and wonderful at another moment, and full of spite when it came to Pansy. But there was no way I could do anything that might be a big decision without Taylor. I wasn't leader material; it was why we were both good for each other. I liked to take a lead after someone, and she liked to rule the world. But she made a lot of the big decisions.

I didn't know what to do right now, and I hoped she did.


	5. Chapter 5

**_AN:_** 100th Chapter! Whoo! We want to thank every one of our readers ~ even the secret ones! A particularly huge thanks to ******Luxord's Xigbar for reviewing _every single chapter_! You're the best girl, honestly. ;) So to everyone who reads, watches and reviews - we love you! Thank you so much! :D**

* * *

><p><em><strong>100<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Alyssa…" I began, running my fingers through my hair as I thought. She was confused, I could tell that much, and the tiniest hint of fear in her eyes at the thought of her father being a death eater didn't help either. "You're sure about what you saw? You were young…"

"I know what I saw," She assured me, sighing deeply as I nodded.

"Then we need to figure out if your Dad was on that plane for work, or for Voldemort." I looked up to her, but she was staring down at the floor between us with her fists curled into the fabric of her jeans on her knees.

I reached over and took one of them, urging her to look back at me. She did, slowly, and I smiled reassuringly.

"Not everything has to be drama, trauma and stress. This is important, Lyss, but we won't get anywhere if we're caught up and wound in knots. Especially you."

She let out a small chuckle, and sighed again, nodding with a deep breath.

"Malfoy can wait a little while longer – let's go do something."

"Like what?" She asked, following me as I stood up.

"When was the last time you went skating?" I grinned at her, walking to the door as she furrowed her brow.

"But Tay, you _hate_ skating." She cocked an eyebrow, and I nodded as I turned towards the hall.

"Yeah…" I agreed, holding the doorframe. "But _you _love it."

* * *

><p>Harry returned to the dining room, pulling out his new cell phone as he sat down. He shuffled through his texts, stopping when Taylor's name flashed in the address bar.<p>

_Miss you already. ;) Mrs. Weasley nearly cried when you left._

_ Hey – you're not supposed to open that until Christmas. :O And I miss you too._

_ I couldn't help myself – and Mr. Weasley is now more intrigued with the cell phone than the road._

_ Perhaps you should put it away then? My phone is dying, and you could very well be too if you don't. :P ;) I'll text you later, once I find my charger. Say hi to everyone for me._

_ Will do – miss you Tay._

_ Miss you too Harry. :) _

What was he going to do about this? He'd had the phone for an hour, and he'd already succumbed to the urge to contact her. They had a date, two days from then, but _what was he going to do_?

He cared for her, she cared for him; it was a mutual thing, but that's not what he was worrying about. What he worried about –

- was what he would do if 'cared for' evolved into something _more_.

He couldn't afford that – not now – not while Voldemort was growing so quickly as a threat. Not when so much weighed on him.

But what if he needed someone to help carry that weight? What if he needed someone to help destroy Voldemort's threat?

What if he needed her?

He shook his head and sighed, running his fingers through his hair again, aggressively. Maybe this was his concern talking. He had thought she was _dead_ a few hours ago.

But now she was alive. She was alive, safe, here, with him. She was – _leaving?_

He heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and turned to see Alyssa and Taylor, smiling and heading towards the door.

"Wha - ?"

"Oh, Harry," Taylor turned to grin at him, making his heart skip a beat and his breath catch in his throat. "Alyssa and I are gonna head out to the rink – we'll rent some skates and spend some time bruising my ass."

He blinked at few times at the thought before the heat rushed to his cheeks and he frowned. "You should be resting." He replied. "After everything you just went through…and with the Hospital tomorrow…"

"Harry, I'll be fine. We won't be long." She pushed softly, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Look, I got my mitts and everything." She pulled out a pair of thick, fuzzy red mittens, and waved them around for him to see.

"That's…not the point…"

She chuckled and walked over to him, taking his face in both of her hands as she leaned down. The mitts tickling his cheeks, she pressed her lips against his.

The initial surprise faded and he melted into her, disappointed when she pulled away too soon for his liking, Alyssa grinning behind her.

"Don't worry about me," She whispered against his lips, her breath teasing his flesh. "It's just skating."

She removed her hands and walked back to Alyssa, motioning towards the door. "We won't be too long."

And with that, she was gone, Alyssa laughing behind her.

Harry stared back down at his phone, and sighed in defeat.

Shit…she did that on purpose. Distracted him and confused him to the point that he was content simply with _her_. But then he felt…almost at a loss, when she was gone.

That couldn't have been healthy.

But what was he to do?

This…_thing_ that they had; their relationship – it was like a tree. Always growing, always reaching for something…

…but there were so many paths, so many branches. Which one would they take?

How high would this tree grow? How far would it reach?

Assuming, of course…

…that it wasn't cut down.

* * *

><p><strong>I know this is short, and not all that spectacular for the 100th chapter ~ but honestly, we didn't even realize we were here until after it was written. XD Plus, <em>fluff! <em>Everyone likes fluff, right? Most people, anyway? ;D**


	6. Chapter 6

_**101**_

_**Alyssa**_

I sighed, as we walked down the street together, skates in hand.

"That poor boy," I mused, shaking my head and smiling.

"It's his fault. It's just so _easy _to change his mind." She grinned at me, and whistled lightly as we continued our stroll.

We continued in this way for a few minutes, before I realized something.

"Do we even know where an ice rink is?"

"Nope." She continued to whistle.

"Should we stop and ask someone, perhaps?"

"We should."

A few seconds more passed.

"You aren't going to, are you?"

"Nope."

* * *

><p>After I had asked someone where the closest rink was, and becoming embarrassed that it was just around the corner, I thanked the person and we headed out.<p>

When we got there, the place was crowded. Children with helmets, parents helping to tie their skates on, boots lying on the floor under benches, couples pulling gloves on…

"There's an empty spot over there," I pointed to a part of the white washed wall, that was not accompanied with a child or an adult.

After we managed to sit down and put our skates on, much of the people in the room had departed for the rink. We took our coats off, leaving just the sweaters, hats, and mitts.

Can't have our fingers cut off by a skate should we fall.

Which we most likely would.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked her, as we walked awkwardly over the mats the people that worked here had lain out for skaters.

"Because I want to."

"I call bullshit on you."

"Because I owe you. This is my apology to you; For our fight, which was over ridiculous, and for making you think I was dead."

"I'm sorry too, you know. For doing that to you. I should've trusted you. It's not like you're always keeping things from me; everyone deserves to have their own secrets. I shouldn't have intruded." We pushed open the doors, and cold air blasted at us. Voices were loud, music was playing, laughter and ice was prominent in the air.

"It's not totally your fault; I guess this is just the one thing that I can't tell you. You'll know, maybe, in time, but for now…"

"I have to mind myself." I smiled thinly at her, not feeling angry like I had before, but understanding.

It wasn't like _I _didn't have secrets; she still didn't know about my kissing Draco. Or the bracelet. Or anything else that had really ensued.

We got onto the ice, and immediately I could feel the difference between stable ground and potential killing grounds. I had NEVER been that great at skating; I had the basics down. But don't expect me to stop without having to run into a sideboard.

I could see the kids on the one side of the rink, behind the pylons, holding onto aids and pushing forward, occasionally falling and parents would rush forward and help them up again. On our side of the rink, couples were holding hands, teenagers like us were smiling sweetly at one another, or friends were laughing at each other falling, pushing each other or racing around the rink.

"We haven't been skating in a long time." I smiled, remembering when the last we had gone together was more than a few years ago. We had only been maybe eight or nine, and our parent had taken us. They had sat in the bleachers together, while we, for the first time-for me, at least- got to go off on our own.

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" She smiled as well.

"We need to get out more."

"Obviously."

* * *

><p>By the time we got back to the house, Harry was… Well, himself. With a dash of worry. And a bit of relief.<p>

"I thought you said you were going to rest?"

"You didn't seem to mind us going out." Taylor shrugged, smiling at him.

"You pulled a fast one."

"Oh, come on. You're easy to bamboozle."

"Bamboo-?"

"Don't worry about it, Harry." She grinned, as he scratched his head.

"Hey- I should get going…" Draco had come back to the front part of my mind, and I doubted that he was that pleased with me being gone for more than the time I had said I would be gone for.

"…Yeah… I wish you could stay…" Taylor sighed, and I shook my head.

"He won't be all that pleased as it is."

"He? Who's he?" Harry inquired, quirking an eyebrow.

"No one."

"He is someone. Who's he?"

"Harry, leave her alone! If she doesn't want to tell you, she doesn't want you to know!" Taylor waved him off, but he only took a few steps back and then came back.

"You had better not be talking about-"

"Okay! Time for me to go!" I said loudly, hugging Harry quickly and then going to Taylor.

"Don't you dare go anywhere outside the country, you hear me? No airports for you." With that, I stepped back, and walked into the fireplace.

"Anaya house!"

And emerald flames swallowed me whole.

* * *

><p>I went to my house first, then to Draco's. It defeated the whole purpose of not telling Harry about Draco if I went straight there.<p>

As soon as I got out, an elf greeted me.

"Master Malfoy has asked me to take you back to your room once you returned." He bowed low to the floor.

"Um… Sure."

I followed him through the maze of halls, until we arrived at my door. He didn't even go in; just disappeared once I knew where I was.

As soon as I was inside the room I knew I wasn't alone.

"A quick visit with Taylor turned into quite the long visit."

"Drake," I sighed, turning to see him laying back on my bed-YES my bed- with his hands behind his head.

"What'd you do? Rob a bank? Get caught?"

"I went to see Taylor. The best friend that I thought was dead. Is that a crime?"

"You have skates with you. You didn't invite me."

"Oh, so now you have to go everywhere I go?" I crossed my arms.

"No; I'm just saying, you're my guest. Shouldn't I go with you to ensure that you are having as much fun as you should be having? I wouldn't want you to be suffering from boredom."

I rolled my eyes. "Trust me when I say this, that with you around, it is _never _boring."

He smirked.

"That wasn't a compliment, you idiot." I scoffed, putting my skates on the floor next to my dresser and grabbing my slippers; A pair of purple, fuzzy Uggs.

"I'm not an idiot." He was much closer now, only a meter away from me.

"Yes, you are." I sighed, pulling one on, then the other; but my balance wavered, and I hopped over to the left a bit before getting my balance back.

" I take offence to that, you know."

"Good. At least you know one thing."

He sighed. "I don't get why you have to be so bitchy."

"I am _not _bitchy! How about I plant one in your ass, sideways?" I motioned to my foot, pulling it back for a kick.

"See what I mean? Why can't you be more civilized?"

"When it comes to you, this _is _civilized." I growled, no longer feeling happy and more annoyed.

"Would you calm down?"

"Enough, Drake! I went skating, okay? I went without you. Why does it _matter? _Drop the damn subject!"

He went quiet.

"I'm sorry. I just- I don't know what just came over me, and…" I rubbed my temples, shutting my eyes tight. Why had I just snapped at him? There was no reason for that.

"It's fine. Maybe you're just… Emotionally full. I don't know." He paused, but then turned and left the room without a single word.

I sighed.

"I'm such an _idiot." _


	7. Chapter 7

_**102**_

_**Taylor**_

"What was that about?" Harry demanded, raising an eyebrow at me as I turned back from the fireplace. I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed, knowing that Alyssa would rather Harry didn't know about her housing arrangements.

"It's….ugh, I don't really like it either, but it's nothing to worry about." _Not yet, at least._

"Why do I get the sneaking suspicion it's got something to do with Malfoy?" He crossed his arms as he sighed, and I praised his intuition.

"Because you're a bloody genius, that's why."

Needless to say, Harry had pretty much decoded everything at that point. You don't survive fifteen years of killing attempts, bullying, and the _Dursleys_ without instinct and a _brain_.

* * *

><p>Harry was right on more than one account however; I needed rest. That night, I slept like I was drugged and downed. I woke up with the sheets tangled around my legs and pillows strewn about the bed.<p>

I didn't even want to open my eyes; I was beyond comfortable, even when I heard the door open across the room.

I assumed it was my father, looking to wake me from my hibernation. He didn't like it when I slept in past nine, because it diminished the amount of time we had to carry out his plans.

Yeah; scheduling was one trait I failed to inherit from my father.

"Hey, you weren't kidding about the messy hair."

…_I want to know how messy your hair is in the morning…_

_ …My hair…_very_ messy…_

My eyes snapped open to see Harry smirking down at me, his arms crossed as he chuckled. I pouted and pulled the covers over my head; or I tried to, at least, with all of them twisted and caught around my legs.

"Harry…" I groaned, flipping to shove my face in the pillow. "…why…?"

"Because it's nearly ten and your father sent me."

"What?" I gasped into the fabric, frowning. "Sneaky little man; getting the Boy Who Lived to do his dirty work."

"I don't mind so much," He shrugged, and the shift in the mattress accompanied him as he sat down. I felt his fingers comb through my hair, twisting and twirling it. I enjoyed it for a moment, glad that at least his fingers weren't getting caught and devoured by the mess atop my head. The tone suddenly softened as they left my hair however, and instead traced the fading scar that ran the length of my back. I turned my head to lay on the pillow as his touch sent tingles up my spine. He made it halfway before my tank top cut him off, and his fingers lingered for a moment before he pulled them away.

I sat up, and turned to look at him, a gentle smile playing on my lips. He returned it, his eyes searching mine, before he stood up.

"What's up?" I asked quietly, sensing his unease. Normally he would continue mocking my hair, instead of resorting to gentle contact and silence.

He let out a sound that crossed between a sigh and a chuckle, but the sadness in his eyes didn't match his expression.

"I…l just remembered being called to the hospital wing to help with your surgery. The thought that you even needed it terrified me; and the fact that I had to be there…."

"Harry…"

"But then I saw the article in the newspaper."

My eyes widened a little, and I realized that the plane crash affected everyone else a thousand times more than it affected me. I knew I wasn't dead. I knew I had _escaped_ that.

They didn't.

"Hermione cried almost as much as Mrs. Weasley. Ron and the twins didn't talk; at all. And with Mr. Weasley already in the hospital, there was only so much more bad news we could take."

"None…" I sighed, trying to understand the magnitude of the trauma. "Harry, I'm sorry you…" I clenched my teeth at the thought of what had gone through their minds. "I'm sorry I put you through that…but I'm here."

I slipped out of bed, glad that I had decided to wear long pants; I hadn't expected a heart to heart at ten in the morning. I took the step in order to close the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him.

"Doesn't that count for something…?"

He didn't respond right away, but he returned the hug carefully.

"You were dead, Tay." He finally said, and I felt my heart drop. I had only been gone for a day; it was horrifying how much could change.

How could I know that I didn't scar these people?

"But yeah…"

"What?" I looked up at him, hopefully.

"Not many people come back from that," He smiled. "Now we're even."

"A killing curse and a plane crash are two entirely different things. And I knew what was happening at the time."

"It affected me all the same." He whispered, his hand whisping up to the base of my skull without me noticing.

It was possibly the sweetest kiss in the history of kisses, and it ended entirely too soon. But it was sad at the same time, and I couldn't bear to think about how much worse it would have been had I cared for him any more than I already did.

"You should get dressed," He breathed, pulling away. "We'll leave for St. Mungo's in twenty minutes."

"Make it ten."

* * *

><p>The hospital, the real hospital, not the wing at Hogwarts, had always been an eerie place. The all too friendly staff working with dangerously sharp metal objects all day that could easily cut out my brain didn't compute properly with me.<p>

At least at Hogwarts it was normally just Madame Pomfrey; and I trusted her, a hell of a lot more than any healer we'd meet here.

"First floor, I assume?" I said, catching the sign labelling the floors before we ascended the stairs. "Creature-Induced Injuries?"

"Yeah; one of the healers was trying to find an antidote when I left. He thinks the poison from the snake's fangs is dissolving the stitches."

"Oh god…ok..." I sighed, not looking forward to seeing how bad my uncle's injuries really were. "They…um, they know….?" _That I'm here?_

He looked back at me and took my hand, nodding.

"Yeah."

We reached the top of the stairs, and began the long walk down the hall.

"_Dangerous Dai Llewellyn Ward_," I read quietly, remembering the Quidditch player who vacationed in Greece only to be eaten by a chimera. "He played for the Caerphilly Catapults, didn't he?"

Harry cocked an eyebrow at me in surprise, and nodded with a chuckle. "I didn't think you followed professional Quidditch." He explained.

"Sometimes," I shrugged, looking away from the memorial plaque. "I do play the game after all, might as well watch a bit of it too, right?"

As we began walking again, we passed door after door, dozens of witches and wizards lying in beds mauled, bitten, burned, stung and who knew what else. Finally, near the end of the first hall, was Mr. Weasley's room.

And behind that door, was a room full of people who'd thought me dead for 24 hours, and my fatally injured Uncle whose stitches kept dissolving.

Not the highlight of my life.

"Ready?" Harry asked carefully, his hand on the handle. I took a deep breath and nodded with a shrug.

"Now or never," I sighed. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze before opening the door.

The feeling of everyone immediately looking at me as soon as we entered was enough to send me running the other way, but the relieved, terrified, disbelieving looks of surprise delayed the instinct.

In the second between being terrified and feeling horribly guilty, Hermione had run to us, wrapped her arms around me, and nearly squeezed the air from my lungs. It surprised me, to say the least, and the small squeak that escaped my throat was evidence enough of that.

I could feel her tears hit my neck, and I returned her hug, my eyebrows knitting together at the thought her crying.

"I'm so sorry Hermione…" I breathed, hugging her close. "I tried calling but my cell phone died and I didn't know about Mr. Weasley and it took a day to get here because we had to take a taxi and - …!"

It wasn't long before another pair of arms fit around us, and then another and another until the entire room with the exception of Harry and Mr. Weasley found themselves somewhere in our group hug.

I found that no words could express what I needed said, and opted for simply revelling in the feel of my family around me. Mrs. Weasley was in tears again, and I felt them threaten to sting my own eyes.

It seemed that Harry had explained everything to them while I had been skating with Alyssa, which I appreciated beyond belief, so any worries about that aspect had quickly washed away.

And once the issue of my 'death' was out of the way – I really needed to stop referring to it as that – the situation with Uncle Arthur became priority.

"Hey," I smiled shyly as I sat down beside his bed. I'd have given him a hug, had he been in any condition to move.

"Hey…" He whispered back hoarsely; I couldn't imagine the pain he must have been in. We sat in silence for a few moments, until the door opened again, and just as before, all eyes were on the newcomer.

A man in a lime-green healer's robe entered, and the family seemed generally acquainted with him.

"Have you found something?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking towards the healer with something akin to hope and desperation.

"I believe so, yes." He answered, a smile on his lips as he walked towards the bed. I stood to give him room, and he looked at me with interest.

"I don't believe we've met," He extended a hand to me, which I warily took. "My name is Hippocrates Smethwyck, Healer in Charge of the _Dangerous Dai Llewellyn Ward. _A pleasure."

"Uh…Taylor Brooks…" I shook his hand awkwardly, still careful around healer and doctors in general. "Are you here about the poison?"

"I am," He nodded, bypassing me to check on Uncle Arthur. "I believe I've found an antidote that will nullify the poison and allow him to heal properly."

"Oh thank god!" Aunt Molly breathed, her hand on her chest as she lifted her head. "How soon can we have him home, assuming it works?"

"Assuming it works…" He mused, not turning back as he administered the antidote into the IV. "He'll be home in time for Christmas."

Everyone burst into gasps and smiles of relief and thanks at the thought of having the whole family home for Christmas.

My smile grew a little larger than the rest however, because, under the best circumstances or not, I would be home for Christmas too.


	8. Chapter 8

**_AN:_ Hello readers! I know this chapter is LATE, but I have a reason! A real one, I swear! See, the thing is, it's my birthday today! And I'm giving YOU GUYS a present! What is this...I don't even - ? SO, to celebrate my big day (yeah right!) I'll be uploading THREE chapters today! Yay! Right? :P Anyway, enjoy this mega-upload and remember ~ we love feedback! We don't bite (Alyssa might, a little) and it makes our hearts flutter when you review! Love and virtual cookies to all of our readers on my birthday!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>103<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

Dinner that night was fairly quiet. His parents didn't usually talk anyways, they ate and left. Draco and I were left alone at the table, and all I did was move my food around my plate, making it look like I had eaten. I only took a few bites while his parents were sitting with us, then stopped.

After dinner, I went to my room and he went to his. It was an awkward silence. Nothing had really happened earlier; But it felt like the air was much more silent than normal. Like someone had been killed and we were mourning.

I felt bad about what I'd said to him. Again, it hadn't really been too much; It was just the way it had happened and how I'd said it. I wanted to apologize for it, but felt like I had done nothing wrong.

Stupid dignity.

_Get over it and just tell him you didn't mean it._

_But you __**did **__mean it…_

"Screw this," I sighed, and marched myself to the door that lead between his and my room. I opened it, and went to his. I knocked on the door, and opened it slowly, not wanting to catch him at a bad time.

The room was a little under room temperature, but it sent a shiver up my back and I shook my shoulders, trying to rid myself of the cold.

"What?"

It wasn't rude or obnoxious. He looked up from the dresser where he was standing, but didn't turn around, only stared at the wall in front of him.

"I wanted to come and apologize." I sighed quietly, moving through the doorway, closing the door behind me.

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"Yes, I do. I didn't mean to snap at you like that earlier. It was wrong of me to do it. I should be grateful that I'm here, but I'm acting like a spoiled brat."

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"I do. If you would stop denying it and let me get on with my sorry-"

"You have nothing to-"

"Would you _stop_with the recording? You aren't helping me with any of this." I sighed wearily, running a hand through my hair.

"I'll stop when you stop apologizing for nothing."

"I'm apologizing about snapping at you-!"

"And I'm trying to say sorry for putting my nose where it shouldn't be!"

"You had every right! I'm your guest!"

"Stop making excuses for everything I say!"

"Than _shut up _and I won't have to!"

We stood there, huffing at each other.

"Are you going to let me finish talking? Or do you want to blather nonsense again?"

"Are _you_done?" He shot back, glaring at me.

"Obviously not."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, getting annoyed.

"SORRY. There. NOW, you can go. Now, you aren't interrupting me." I motioned at him.

"It would be nice if just _once_you would shut up and listen to me. Just _once_."

"Yeah, well, it would be nice if I could have you agree to be in the same room as my best friend without sneering at her, but it doesn't look like either of us will be getting what we want."

Silence ensued, an awkward, angry silence.

"When you feel ready to be mature, I'll be here." Draco said, turning back to his dresser.

"_Mature_-?"

"Yeah. That word that means not acting like a _child_."

"I know what it means, you dumb shit. I _am_being mature; you always have to be the one that comes on top though, don't you?"

He froze.

"_What_?"

"You heard me. You always have to be the pompous jerk that looks down on people, don't you? Always being perfect, making us little people want to be like you. Always about you." It was too late to go back after that. I was on a roll. I wasn't stopping.

"WHOA. You had better be ready to back those words up." He turned slowly, and I could see his eyes were burning daggers.

"I have more than enough. About five years worth of your bull shit."

I didn't even know why it was I had gone into this rage. Words were just pouring out of me, things that had built up too much.

"Bull shit? It's not bull shit when you don't know anything!"

"I know enough to know that you might have this shell that seems popular and cool, and you might have a side that isn't like that, but you're really just someone that likes to fake everything he does!"

The silence and the sudden slap to the face was astonishing and shocking.

"You think I fake things? How was that? Enough to know that it was _real_? Enough to understand that _maybe,_you don't know what you're talking about?" He hissed, getting real close in on my face. His eyes were burning with fury.

"You slapped me." I couldn't get it through my head. I held a hand to my cheek, feeling the burn there.

"I have _never_faked anything in my entire life. _Ever."_

The burn on my face seeped into my eyes. A single tear waited at the corner of my eye, but never fell. I refused to fall to that.

"You don't get it, do you?" I hissed, lowering my hand. "You just made my point. Whenever someone gets to close to realizing what you are, you react. You don't like being on the short end of the stick."

He opened his mouth to speak, but I stopped him.

"Let me know when you're ready to be _mature. _As you put it." I sneered at him, than turned my back and slammed open the door to my room.

I heard him step towards the door when I closed it, so I took out my wand and locked it from my side of the door. It wouldn't last long, but by the time he got through, my door would be barricaded.

I wasn't staying here any longer.

* * *

><p>She slammed the door, leaving him alone in his room once again, except now, he was pissed off.<p>

_Seriously_pissed off.

He clenched his fists sharply, and stormed to the door, only to find it had been locked.

He swore mentally, only to realize that he _too_had a wand, and could use it.

He retrieved it, and unlocked his door, intending to 'clear' something with her up.

But found that her door was inaccessible, as well.

Even unlocking it, though it may have done _something,_didn't budge the door.

He sighed, now annoyed, and ran a hand through his hair.

Why did she have to be so _stubborn?_

"Alyssa." He said, trying his best not to ground out her name. But no one answered, just silence.

_Of course, you idiot. She's pissed off, just like you are._

"Alyssa, open the door."

He waited again, but nothing.

"If you don't open the door, I'll open it myself."

_Good luck with that,_he told himself wryly.

He leaned against the wall of the passage, cooling down and feeling his temper rise again at the same time.

"Please. Would you open the door?"

Silence again, so much so that he could feel it seeping from under the door.

"It would be really nice if I could talk to you face to face…"

Nada.

"Whatever. Look… I'm sorry… I know we just had a fight over apologies… Which is partially my fault… But I'm sorry about… Hitting you. I didn't mean to do that. It just… Happened. In the heat of the moment."

He paused, hoping to get some type of reaction.

"It won't happen again… I was stupid to do that. And to argue because you were being mature, and… Coming to apologize when I know I probably wouldn't have done the same."

He turned and leaned against the door, hands in his pockets, and whistled a soundless tune.

"So… Yeah. When you aren't mad anymore, just… Come find me, I guess. You know where I am."

* * *

><p>I heard him shuffle away from the door a few feet away from me, where I stood facing it with my arms crossed. I wanted to go and open the door, but I knew that I was still mad. The fact that he had slapped me was shocking. I didn't think he would ever stoop so low.<p>

Almost as soon as I had pushed the end of the bed against the door, he had unlocked the door. When I realized that he wouldn't -couldn't- open the door, I had silently and slowly levitated it so that it was resting a few inches off from its original spot, and gently lowered it to the ground. I had been in the process of putting things into my bag on said bed when I heard him apologizing.

I sighed, and rubbed my index and middle finger of my left hand on my temple, resting my elbow on my other hand, which was hugging my left side.

_What to do, what to do…_

After a few moments, I breathed deeply and looked back again at the bag on the bed, half packed.

_Look at a glass half-full, not half-empty,_words that had been embalmed into my mind due to my mother.

This situation was…strange. To look at it half-full would mean to stay, to get through Christmas here.

Half-empty meant no point staying here.

I thought about the two choices.

And, turning to face the bag, made my decision.


	9. Chapter 9

_**104**_

_**Taylor**_

A clear head and rested mind were an all too welcome relief by the time I woke Wednesday morning. The sunlight, filtering through a dirty window perpendicular to the bed, was warm despite the temperature outside. With thoughts of Mr. Weasley being home for Christmas, and my upcoming outing, I couldn't help but mirror the concept.

Voldemort was back, Alyssa's father may very well have been a death eater, the Ministry thought Dumbledore was a lunatic, and Umbridge was taking over the school. And yet, I still felt a strange warmth in my chest that sent the butterflies tumbling about in my stomach like something high on life.

Deciding what to wear was harder than it should have been, especially considering Harry had seen basically all of my clothes already. After three combinations, I stuck with the neutral; not too casual, but not formal in the least. A pair of nice fitting jeans and a red long-sleeved shirt with a swooping neckline.

Grabbing my Gryffindor scarf from my trunk, I wrapped it loosely around my neck and clipped my hair back. That was loose as well, and the majority of the hair in the front fell out to frame my face. Some quick make up – which wasn't quick at all – and my pair of winter boots with faux fur lining and matching jacket that I bought purely for fashion, and I was heading down the stairs.

Harry was sitting in the dining room with Sirius when I reached the bottom, and it occurred to me just how much time we spent at that table; too much.

"Ready?" I asked, shooting him a grin as I pulled my boots on. He turned in his seat to cock an eyebrow at me, before taking his coat from the back of his chair and slipping it on.

"Yeah," He smiled, obviously thinking the same thing I was.

Get up, get ready, go.

For me it was the nerves. Whether they were the reason for his impulses was beyond me, but we were both anxious. And no amount of makeup would be able to hide that. I watched restlessly as he opened the door, and I slid my jacket on as I followed him out.

Any worries I had in my mind before had been cleared, my attention directed instead at the butterflies now trying to flutter their way out of my stomach and into my chest.

"So…" I mused, following him down the steps after closing the door. "…where are we going?"

He turned to me, with his sheepish, crooked grin, and shrugged.

I'd have cocked an eyebrow at him in scepticism, had it not been so goddamn adorable. Instead, I could only blush and offer a small smile back, feeling particularly girly and ridiculously shy.

Stupid emotions…_wonderfully_ stupid and stupidly _wonderful_ emotions.

* * *

><p>"Did you have <em>any<em> idea this was here?" I asked suspiciously, having a feeling that arriving at the warm, cozy café wasn't exactly intentional on Harry's part.

"Of course I did." He chuckled, opening the door for me as we entered. I thanked him quickly and grabbed the table nearest the fireplace. "I was here basically all summer."

"Oh? So the detour around the block was solely for your amusement then?" I arched an eyebrow, smirking at him.

"I figured it would make the fireplace all the more enjoyable." He replied smoothly, earning a sigh and a laugh from myself. I pulled my mitts off, shoving them in my pockets before sliding my jacket off as well, pleasantly surprised when Harry took it for me.

"Thanks," I smiled, sitting down as he hung it on a coat rack near our table. He followed after me, grinning from across the table.

"So…" He began, leaning on the table. "How was skating with Alyssa?"

I laughed lightly and fiddled with my fingers. "It was good…she's getting better at it, for sure. I didn't fall as much as I thought I would, and we both came to terms with each other's right to have secrets. Speaking of which…"

He seemed to catch on, and leaned back in his chair as the waitress reached our table.

"What can I get you kids?" She asked happily, looking bubbly with a knowing smile on her lips.

"I'll get an apple cider, please." I answered, smiling back. "And an omelette, if you still make them this late."

"We sure do; what would you like in it?" She grinned, scribbling down on her little pad.

"Um…" Harry gave me a chuckle and I shrugged. "Ham and bacon…maybe some cheese…"

"Alright, what about you?" She turned to Harry, and he replied with another apple cider and some soup.

It wasn't long after that, that she was gone, almost skipping back to the kitchens. As soon as she was out of earshot, I let out the embarrassed laugh I had held back, and rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly.

"Did you see the way she watched us?" I asked, feeling my cheeks cool down.

"Do woman always get that excited about teenagers on dates?"

It struck me again that, yes, this was a _date_. Not an outing with friends, not a get-together with companions; it was a _date_ with one of my _best friends_.

How cliché was I? It was like something you'd read in a muggle romance novel for god's sake.

"So, about DA…"

"Right - !" I shook the thoughts of dates from my head and tried to focus. "Dumbledore's Army…we'll need to tell Dumbledore about the plane and Mr. Weasley, if he doesn't already know, and then we'll have to step up on the lessons. With Voldemort openly attacking wizards now we can't afford to take it slow."

"I know," He sighed, pursing his lips. I bit mine, scratching at my arm absently at the thought of not being prepared for whatever was ahead for us. "It's going to be tough."

I gasped lightly when he took my hand, pulling it from my arm and holding it instead. "And now you're getting anxious again,"

"Am not!" I replied indignantly, huffing at him. "I don't know what you're talking about…"

"You bite your lip when you get nervous, or upset; and ever since your detention you scratch at your arm too. Now you're doing both." He replied knowingly, daring me to challenge him again. I pouted at him, knowing that he had clearly won this time.

"You know me well," I stated, feeling the uneasiness ebb away, with my hand still in his.

"I like to think so," He smiled back, his eyes holding my focus.

"Still searching to know more?" I asked, remembering our exchange in the library; and that of course resulted in the butterflies returning as well as the heat to my cheeks.

His reply only magnified both effects, and sent my pulse skyrocketing.

"_Always,_"


	10. Chapter 10

_**105**_

_**Alyssa**_

As I laid in bed that night, I couldn't seem to find that one comfortable spot. Just when I would find the perfect spot, it would get too hot and I had to turn around.

_This is getting ridiculous._I thought miserably to myself, turning _again_for what seemed like the millionth time in the past HOUR.

Sighing, I sat up, rubbing the non existent sleep from my eyes, and snapped my fingers lightly. A puff of smoke appeared in the centre of the room, and the elf bowed low to the ground.

"Come here," I whispered, and he crept forward, until he was right next to the bed.

"Yes, miss?"

"I was wondering if you could get me a glass of milk," I said, feeling bad that I had woken him up to do this.

"Of course, miss." He bowed, and was about to snap his fingers, when I stopped him.

"Oh, could you make it warm, too?"

He nodded, and with a snap of his fingers, disappeared.

I sighed again, and buried my face in my hands, wanting to sleep so bad. As I looked up, my gaze caught on the door that interconnected Draco's room to mine.

"…_When you aren't mad anymore, just… Come find me, I guess. You know where I am."_

Our earlier argument came to mind, words floating around in my brain, landing a blow against my skull once in a while.

"_When you feel ready to be mature, I'll be here."_

"…_That word that means not acting like a child."_

He'd been right. I had been acting a little like a child. We had an argument over an apology.

Bloody hell, I was so _stupid_.

Just then, the house elf returned, with a cup in his hand.

"Your milk, miss." He bowed, not spilling a drop of the milk in the glass.

"Thank you…" I sighed, taking it and smiling wearily. He nodded, and was gone.

I took another look at the door, before swigging the contents down in a few gulps, and setting the glass on the bed side table. I grabbed my iPod, and turned it on, putting my headphones in.

_Whatever you do, I'll do it too,_

_Show me everything and tell me how._

_It all means something, and yet nothing to me._

_I can see there's so much to learn,_

_It's all so close and yet so far._

_I see myself as people see me,_

_I just know there's something bigger out there._

* * *

><p>The milk solved my problems for the better part of the night, lulling me into a musicdreamless sleep. After I woke up, it was seven thirty, and by that time I was much too awake to even try and stay in my bed and continue sleeping.

_Maybe they won't mind if I roam around for a little while…_

* * *

><p>After dressing in some jogging pants and a t-shirt with a baggy sweatshirt thrown over it, I threw my hair up in a ponytail and asked an elf for a tall glass of water. I took my wand along with me, as well, so that I could refill my glass if needed. When all was done, I left my room, walking quietly down the hall in the opposite direction of Draco's room.<p>

Their house was so big, that within thirty seconds, I had gone so far and taken so many turns, I wasn't sure which way to take if I were to go back to my room again.

Room after room went by, most locked, others empty guest rooms waiting to be filled. I found the pool that Draco had told me about, and it was absolutely amazing; It was huge, and the walls surrounding it -except for the one on which the door I had been standing in- were completely made of glass.

Glass that hopefully was one-way.

Just when I was beginning to tire of walking aimlessly, I discovered an indoor porch, with glass walls that looked out to the backyard. I hadn't realized until then that I had never seen their backyard, and was astounded by the sight. Though it was covered in snow, I could tell that it was very grand. A good football field length away from the house, was an orchard of trees, all lined up in two straight lines, forming a path that looked…

…Magical.

No pun intended.

"Wow," I breathed, walking right up the glass and staring at the orchard. It was so beautiful, that I had never realized just how much I really wanted one just like this one in front of my eyes.

I don't know how long I stood there, gawking, before I realized there was somebody else with me in the room.

"It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" I turned, to see Narcissa smiling politely with her hands clasped in front of her. She was dressed in formal dress pants, with a neat white blouse and some gold jewellery.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to go snooping around… I just saw this and I was amazed…"

"Don't apologize, you've done nothing wrong. It's nice to see someone who has an interest in the outdoors. I myself, don't like gardening; much too dirty for me. But I like to have something beautiful and large for my home, somewhere I can hold parties with the sun shining down and illuminating everything around me." She moved closer to the glass wall, never looking at me, just gazing lightly outside.

"When I'm older, I think I'd like to have an orchard. No matter how small my house is." I mused, lacing my fingers together around the cup, growing warmer from the heat in my hands and my hands somehow getting colder.

"As long as you are happy, follow through with it." Narcissa spoke, with no emotion to her face.

After a few moments, she turned and left the room.

When I was sure she was gone, I summoned an elf.

"Can you take me back to my room?" I asked the elf, who nodded.

* * *

><p>By the time I was back in my room an hour had passed since I had initially left. I changed my jogging pants to some jeans, opting to keep the sweatshirt. When the room was clean, I looked around, not quite sure what to do now.<p>

My stomach solved that issue for me when it growled impatiently.

"Oh, shut up, I was getting to it." I muttered to my stomach, which growled again.

The dining room was the one place that I actually knew how to get to from my room. Knowing where the food was in the house was important.

By the time I got there, Draco was already sitting in his seat, eating silently. I awkwardly shuffled to my own seat, across from his, and asked for what I wanted to eat.

After getting my cereal and orange juice, I started eating, and it was yet another awkward silence at the table.

I couldn't handle it anymore.

"I'm not mad anymore." I stated simply, glad that no one else was in the room.

He didn't say anything, just nodded and continued eating.

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday; Both times." I continued, moving my spoon around in my bowl, watching the little marshmallows float around, flying to the sides when they got too close.

"Okay."

Already, my nerves were fraying before me. It was too early to deal with this. I wanted to tell him to shove his 'okay' up his-

_Breathe. Relax._

I took a deep breath in, letting the air 'whoosh' out slowly, and tried again.

"Could you _please_give me some other reaction to tell me that you're not some kind of robot?"

"A what?"

"Finally. Some response." I sighed. "I just- I'm sorry about yesterday. It was just that those things that I said… I didn't really mean them. I was just pissed off, I get that way easily. It's just that you infuriate me sometimes to the point where I… say or do things that I might regret later when I'm not as mad later."

He was silent for a few seconds, than he sighed.

"I should apologize, too. I was a complete idiot yesterday…"

"I know you were." He glared at me, and I shooed him. "Go on."

"I shouldn't have gotten mad at you for coming and asking forgiveness… I guess I gave you the exact opposite, didn't I?"

"The words I could've forgiven. The slap… That might take a while." I glared coldly at him, lacing my fingers together and resting my chin on my hands.

"I was pissed. I didn't know what I was doing-"

"The _hell_you didn't."

"…"

"You might have been pissed, but you had to have had the thought run through your mind that, 'Hey, maybe I'll slap her I'm so mad.'"

"It wasn't like that."

"Then tell me. Because to me, that doesn't exactly seem like the you I know."

"You don't know me!"

"You're someone who likes to play guitar, who likes the color red but won't confess to it because it's a Gryffindor color, and you act like somebody else out in public when you aren't that person at all."

He bowed his head, massaging his temples with one hand. I got up silently, and went around the table, to stand behind him and I put my hands on his shoulders.

"I might not know every little detail about you, but I know enough to understand that yesterday… Yesterday wasn't you. Not really. That was just bottled up anger. Now, I'm through being mad at each other, being at each others necks and not wanting to say something for fear of starting a yelling match. Are you in agreement?"

He took a deep breath, than shook his head. "Yeah; I hate being on eggshells in my own house."

"Good." I nodded, relieved to find that I had gotten _somewhere_.

"How about we go swimming?" He offered, turning and standing from his seat.

I smiled, happy that we were over yelling.

"Race you there."


	11. Chapter 11

_**106**_

_**Taylor**_

"Thank you," I smiled, leaving the money on the table as our waitress grinned back at us from the counter, waving. Harry handed me my jacket and I shoved my arms into the sleeves before following him to the door.

He opened it for me, as the gentleman he was, and I laughed at the weirdness of it. Never would I have imagined considering Harry Potter a _gentleman_.

"What are you laughing at?" He asked jokingly, letting the door close as the sharp winter air hit us like a wall. "I could have let you walk into it, if you liked."

I hit his arm playfully, zipping my jacket up and pulling my fuzzy mitts out of my pockets.

"The blood dripping from my nose would probably freeze in this weather." I stuck my tongue out at him, glad that my brunch had calmed my nerves and I could act 'normally' again; for my standards anyway.

'Normal' wasn't really a word anyone would associate with me. Ever.

"It is rather chilly isn't it?"

"Chilly? No; chilly is a hot, delicious combination of beans and various vegetables." I laughed, "This is _sub-zero glacial temperature_."

He chuckled, grinning as I tugged my mitts on.

"Hedwig doesn't seem to mind it." He shrugged, watching the road ahead of us.

"Hedwig is a bloody _owl_." I returned, "She flies around in the snow all the ti - …" I narrowed my eyes and looked up as something clicked in my head. And crying out in surprise, I managed to duck before crazy-owl-assassin took my head off.

"Bloody hell!" I panted, my breath fogging the air in front of my face. "You're an evil little bird." Hedwig perched herself happily on Harry's shoulder, making funny owl noises at me. "I'm so proud of you." I cooed, making a silly face back at her as I pet her head.

"So," Harry coughed, regaining my attention as I peered up at him, a smile on my lips. "Where to next?"

* * *

><p>"He actually ended up breaking out – as crazy as that sounds. He used his claws to lift the bolt; Aunt Giselle and I spent a good two hours looking for hi–IM!" The snow in my face muffled my last word, and effectively surprised me enough for my body to lock.<p>

When I finally managed to wipe it away, my nose felt as though it was about to fall off, and Harry was nearly doubled over laughing. Hedwig was circling above us, screeching and hooting in amusement. Blinking the snow from my eyes, I nearly gaped at the thought.

Harry had thrown a snowball at me.

And now he was laughing about it!

But then my instincts kicked in; my competitive instincts.

Bending down, I quickly gathered some snow from the side of the road, packing it tightly before straightening up and hurling it towards Harry's head.

Still bent over laughing, the snowball hit the top of his head, causing him to look up, stunned. The look on his face brought a grin to my lips, and I was soon running down the road, trying to avoid another collision with the snow as Harry belted them out.

Somehow I doubted that snowball fights were a common component of an average date; but then, Harry and I weren't an average couple. And a less-than-average couples would have less-than-average dates.

Right?

Not that it bothered me; I was much more comfortable this way. I would take a fun snowball fight over an awkward, fancy dinner any day. And so would Harry…I hoped.

I took the three consecutives snowballs to the back of my head as a yes.

* * *

><p>I called Alyssa again the next day, telling her about the date, and asking her about her stay with Draco. Apparently she'd gotten into a bit of an argument with him over her visit with me, which didn't positively influence my opinion of him.<p>

Until I thought about it; yeah, he may have been a bit cocky about it, but from the sound of it, he was _worried_.

And Malfoy didn't _worry_. About anything. He always had everything he wanted when he wanted it, and now with Alyssa – as strong willed as she was – there was an unpredicted factor that he couldn't read into.

He couldn't know where she was, what she was doing, or who she was with, all the time. Maybe that unpredictability scared him, or maybe he was worried about her safety, but either way, it meant he cared.

And that was a weird concept for me.

But I couldn't deny the fact that he had changed, at least towards Alyssa. Maybe he could open up a little and stop f*cking around with the rest of us too.

"Taylor?"

I looked up from my trunk, having been digging through it to try to find my god-forsaken charger _again_, to see Ginny and Hermione standing in the doorway.

"Hey guys." I smiled, standing up and brushing off my knees. "Is everyone home?"

"No, Mum and Dad will be home tomorrow." Ginny replied, dropping her travel bag on the bed furthest from mine, leaving the middle one for Hermione. "But Ron and the twins are putting their stuff away now."

"So," Hermione smiled, putting her things on the bed as well. "I heard from Ron that you and Harry had a bit of an outing yesterday."

I noted Ginny's slightly visible peek in interest, but I couldn't help the blush that heated my cheeks.

"How'd it go?" Hermione continued, sitting on the bed and propping her elbows on her knees, staring down at me eagerly.

"It went…good." I laughed, biting my lip. "We had lunch, went for a long, cold walk, threw snow at each other – the usual."

"Only you guys." She chuckled, shaking her head after pulling her wild hair from the elastic holding it back. "I am so looking forward to sleeping in a real bed."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed, seeming oddly quiet compared to her usual bubbly demeanour. "Anything's better than those hospital couches."

I offered a welcoming smile again, but received a small, forced smile and a convenient shift in her gaze to anywhere but me.

I knew that she still liked him, and the guilt that had slowly sprouted since I found out was beginning to overwhelm me. She liked him, yeah, but what I felt was…more than that.

Was that reason enough to discount her feelings? She couldn't have liked him _that_ much; she barely talked to him since second year. But that didn't ease my guilt.

She was my cousin – or, second-cousin, technically – and it hit me then that I had ignored her confession and focused on my interaction with Harry immediately when he found me in the library.

The predicament would continue to plague my thoughts that night, leaving little room for sleep and making the bed feel just as uncomfortable as hospital couches.

It was one of those times when I wished Alyssa had been there with me; someone to listen to my confused thoughts, then proceed to tell me to get over myself and throw a pillow at my head.

For now though, I would have to deal and try to get some much-needed rest for the Christmas Eve festivities that were sure to occur the next day. Hopefully Uncle Arthur's return would lift my spirits again.


	12. Chapter 12

**_AN: _Alright! I've done a lot of editing this weekend, and with all of my exams, I haven't been able to update. So finally, here's two new chapters to make up for last week! I've also added a poll to my profile regarding double chapters (both Taylor & Alyssa's POV) so please check that out if you're interested. :)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>107<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

After swimming in the pool for more than enough time for me to start shrivelling up like a prune, I got out, wrapping a towel around my body, starting to shiver from the cold air.

"So, where's the sauna?" I asked, tightening the towel around my arms and bading my teeth to _stop shivering._

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Um, to go warm up." I said pointedly, raising an eyebrow.

"Water's not warm enough for you?"

"It wasn't warm enough about an hour ago." I replied, rolling my eyes and turning to look for the sauna. Usually, it was found by a wooden door, but apparently the Malfoys had no idea what wood was.

"Fine. But you have to look for the sauna yourself."

"You asshole! You _know_I'm not going to bloody find it!"

"I know." He only smirked.

"You suck." I groaned, sitting down on the floor, huddling inside my towel. I happened to look up, and saw the hot tub in a little alcove on the other side of the room.

"Ha! I don't need the sauna."

He raised an eyebrow, and realized what I meant.

"Oh, no you don't!" I dropped my towel and ran as quickly as I could -without trying to actually slip and fall- towards the hot tub. He sunk under the surface, and I could see his figure racing underwater as fast as he could towards the hot tub, arms stroking in front of him in an arrow.

I was almost there; All I had to do was round the corner and race the last length to the hot tub. But he had an advantage, being in the water. He could swim fast, and he could just move straight toward the hot tub without worrying on slipping on the wet tiles. And the fact that he was gaining didn't help me at all.

I slowed my speed, careful not to trip over the corner or to slip and fall.

Almost there…

I jumped into the hot tub, water splashing out and onto the tiles. Draco had made it to the edge of the pool, and was supporting himself with his arms on the edge of the pool.

"The hot tub is boring. You should come back into the pool."

"I think I'll pass."

* * *

><p>After swimming, I went back to my room, drying my swim suit and towel, and folding them up. It wasn't until I was changed and hair dried, that I pulled out my iPod and wand.<p>

_Well you done done me_

_And you bet I felt it_

_I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted_

_I fell right through the cracks_

_And now I'm trying to get back_

_Before the cool done run out_

_I'll be giving it my bestest_

_And nothings gonna stop me but divine intervention_

_I reckon it's again my turn_

_To win some or learn some_

_But I won't hesitate no more_

_No more, it cannot wait_

_I'm yours_

I sang softly with one earbud in, practicing magic on random objects, either levitating a pillow or summoning a frame. It kept me occupied for a little while, at least until I heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" I said, gently setting my bed down on the floor beneath me, and laying my wand on the comforter close to me. The door opened, and Draco came in, looking bored.

"You came in to bug me, _why_?" I quirked an eyebrow when he approached the bed.

"What are you doing?" He asked, crossing his arms. His hair wasn't gelled back or anything, just… _Normal_.

"Practicing. Or rather, keeping myself occupied. Why? Get lonely?"

"Just wondering what you're up to. I should be keeping my guest busy. Otherwise you'll plot against me."

"Really. How enticing. I never thought to do that…" I said, tapping my fingers together in a plotty way.

"Don't even think about it." He said, deadpanning.

"Why not? It's not like I have anything better to do." I stated, crossing my arms.

"How about going flying?"

"It's _freezing_outside though! Look at the snow! It's so thick, if I were to step outside I would disappear!" I protested, as much as flying sounded appealing to me at that moment.

"You can suck it up, I think."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. As I thought about boredom, an idea arose to me.

One that hadn't been used in a few long years.

"There's a town here, right?"

"Um… Yeah… Why?"

"Cause I know what we're gonna do." I grinned, gathering my cloak and scarf.

* * *

><p>"That's fifteen dollars and seventy nine cents," The man said, an eyebrow quirked in confusion and bemusement at the fact that a fifteen year old girl and a boy that looked to be the same age were wearing what looked to be <em>cloaks<em>, some green and white scarves, and buying…

What appeared to be two packages of _track._The green molded plastic winked up at him through the clear plastic. It was the type that could be linked together, and metal balls could be rolled down for a few minutes of fun.

But that was for children. And these teenagers were buying it.

_Hopefully it's for a cousin or a brother or sister…_He mused, taking the twenty and making change, printing the receipt out and handed it to the girl.

"Thank you," She smiled, pocketing both that and the change, and taking her package. The boy looked confused, and he held the door out for her as she walked through ahead of him.

_Some things I'll never understand,_he shook his head, and took up his magazine from under the cash once again as the bell that chimed for the door dimmed to silence again.

Vaguely through the door, he heard the boy ask, "Dollars? What are dollars?"

"Don't worry about it." She soothed, as they walked down the sidewalk.


	13. Chapter 13

_**108**_

_**Taylor**_

"What do you mean I can't have it now?"

"What do you think it means? Bloody moron!"

"You can't just keep it forever!"

"You can wait!"

"But it's mine! I can't wait that long!"

I poked my head around the corner, arching an eyebrow and pursing my lips as Ron crossed his arms and huffed. My gift from Alyssa – a brand new iPod! – was clutched firmly in my right hand as I watched them go back and forth.

"Honestly Ronald," Hermione scoffed, "You can wait ten minutes for Taylor."

"We can't have Christmas without everyone here!" Aunt Molly chimed in, expressing her two cents with her genuine large smile as she set the table for the Christmas breakfast that would accompany gift-unwrapping.

"Aw c'mon! We can tape it for her so she can watch later!" Ron continued, looking more like a five year-old than a fifteen year-old. Hermione simply shook her head and rolled her eyes, probably wondering how any of us put up with each other.

Here's a hint:

_We're all the same._

"Maybe I should just head back up to bed then, huh?" I inquired, catching Ron, Hermione, and the twins' attention.

"Look! See? She's here! We can start!"

"Um, nah – I think I'll just – AH!"

"Oh no you don't!"

Not quite making it to the stairs, I was caught around the waist and dragged back into the dining room, Ron's arms locked with no intention of letting got.

"We're having Christmas NOW."

I chuckled lightly as he sat me on one of the chairs, grabbing a gift from Harry as he walked by and shoving it in my lap.

"There – open it – it's Christmas. Stay. Put. There."

I laughed and shook my head as Harry cocked an eyebrow and looked around, his arms still out as though holding the present now sitting happily in my lap.

"Ron, this isn't for me." I grinned, getting up and placing in back in Harry's arms as Ron narrowed his eyes at me.

Harry gave a smirk and pecked my cheek before continuing on with the present, and Ron 'subtly nudged' me back into the chair.

_'Subtly nudged' = _**forcefully shoved**

"Stay." He said again, watching me as he backed away slowly, as though I might try to make a break for it. Which I might have, had the room not been crowded with people.

And then, just as Ron was about to reach for a gift, Uncle Arthur spoke.

"Come! Everyone sit, please."

"Uncle Arthur," I smiled, sitting beside him. "How are you feeling?"

"Horribly itchy." He answered curtly, offering a grin. "And they're not even my colour."

'_They'_ referring to the casts and bandages that nearly covered Mr. Weasley's body. We'd been told that he'd be sporting them for at least another two weeks; thank god for magic or it would have been _much_ longer.

"I can imagine," I nodded in mock agreement. "I asked for electric blue bandages when I cracked my skull, but Madame Pomfrey said she used them all up when Colin Creevey fell down the stairs."

He reached up and patted my head, his fingers being one of the few things left unwrapped as he ran them through my hair.

"I trust you've spoken with her since you've been back." _Alyssa._

"Yes," I nodded, "We're better now. Everything's sorted out."

"What are we going to do about the plane incident? Has it been disclosed what happened yet?"

"Not yet," Aunt Molly set a plate of pancakes in front of us, smiling quickly at her husband before continuing. "And I don't suspect the Ministry will be eager to either."

"I wouldn't imagine so," He sighed in response, pursing his lips.

"But now's not the time for thoughts like that," Mrs. Weasley breathed, her smile having returned as she addressed everyone. "It's Christmas, and we're going to enjoy it even if I have tie you all down and shovel this food into your mouths myself! Now eat!"

And we did. Bloody hell, did we eat. Dad especially, having not eaten Aunt Molly's cooking for 'so long'. He finished nearly three helpings of pancakes and various other foods, and grumbled about being ready to burst for a good three hours after that too.

But during all that grumbling, there were _gifts_.

From me, the twins received a two page list of various pranks and stunts to be pulled anywhere, anytime – as long as they weren't intended for me – as well as some cash to pull them off. Not much, but they were ecstatic nonetheless.

Percy, who had shown us the pleasure of showing up, got a sweater that read '_Don't Hate Me 'Cause I'm Prefect'_.

He didn't find it as funny as I did.

Hermione got a collection of Historical Magic Books, a cute red shirt and some chocolates. Ronald was blessed with a winter hat, adorned with flames, various candies, and another shirt with the words '_Sold It to the Devil'_ across the chest.

I'd never attended muggle high-school, but I'd heard my share of read-head ginger jokes.

Ron apparently, had not.

It seems I was the only one entertained by my gifts; not that it bothered me any.

I got Ginny an outfit; it made me realize how little I actually knew about my cousin, and that just added to my turmoil over her feelings. Regardless, I tried to avoid witnessing the reaction by moving on to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Both received a family gift from Dad, Aunt Giselle and I; a few things for the Burrow, and matching sweaters knitted by Aunt Giselle.

Next was Dad, whom I bought the _Fringe_ box set for. Accompanying the supernatural TV show was a new suit for work, which he grinned at before ruffling my hair and kissing my cheek.

I had called Aunt Giselle quickly after that, wishing her and _Liam_ a Merry Christmas, and making sure she received my gift to her. A few books to add to her ever growing library, and those shoes she ogled the last time we went shopping together. She had decided to stay home with her new nephew, sensing that he would feel uncomfortable here, and not wanting to leave him alone.

It amazed me how quickly she'd adapted to him; how quickly she accepted him.

Dad had yet to speak two words regarding Liam; and as much as I'd have liked to pretend that it was fine that way, we would have to address the issue at some point. It seemed procrastination had spread to more than just my homework.

Finally managing to bypass the horde of family between myself and Harry, I presented him with a side-gift to accompany his new phone.

He smiled, cocking an eyebrow as he reached behind and pulled a small wrapped box from the table.

"Trade you," I offered, waving the gift in front of him.

"Hmm," He mused, standing up straight – having been leaning on the table. "I guess…" He pursed his lips, holding the present out unsurely. "…Yeah, alright."

I laughed as we swapped boxes, and I wasted no time in getting mine open. I nearly gasped, but Harry was the one to speak first.

"This is the same one?"

"Hmm?" I looked up at him, still dazed. "Ah," I smiled, "Yes; the same one. Do you like it?"

"Absolutely," He breathed, holding up the sketch of Hedwig I'd finally gotten around to painting. Thin watercolours in pinks and yellows marked the early sky and clouds, and I'd only framed it in order to prevent myself from ruining it before Harry had a chance to see it. The smile on his face was well worth the painting shirt now stuffed in my trunk, and the glint in his eyes shook my spine as he looked up and asked, "What about you?"

I couldn't find the words to express quite what I felt, so instead, I lifted the silver chain necklace from the box and offered it to Harry with a warm smile. He took it thoughtfully and set it around my neck while I pulled my hair out of the way. He fastened it, letting my hair fall freely down my back again as I lifted my hand to touch the charm hanging from the silver chain.

It resembled the necklace I'd bought for Alyssa, but instead of a lily, branches grew, following the chain. Tiny diamonds in thin lines made the grooves of the trunk, and some of the larger branches, but I couldn't care to think of a price.

Of all the charms in the entire world, Harry had known, somehow, that this was the perfect one.

"I love it."

The symbol, the representation that I alone used for the figure of our relationship…

"It's perfect."

_My tree._


	14. Chapter 14

_**AN: **_**Ok, so I know this is really late! I apologize! Sorry! This is the first double chapter being posted, and don't forget about the poll on my profile! Enjoy!**

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><p><em><strong>109<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

Christmas Day finally came, and I was excited. After jumping out of bed and making sure that Draco was up, too (Not too sure he appreciated me jumping on his bed…) I hopped into the shower and got dressed. My choices were a grey short-sleeved sweater/shirt, with a turtle neck that drooped in the front. Dark coloured jeans, and a black fedora with medium height black heels. I opted to keep my hair down, straightening it so that it reached mid back.

"Where are you going so fancy?" I turned to see Draco leaning against the doorframe, his eyes watching me.

"This isn't fancy. This is the _jazzy_look."

"Heels are jazzy?"

"No… These are a pair of shoes I found in the back of the closet. I thought they looked good."

"They also make you taller than me."

"You exaggerate." I sighed, and looking one last time in the mirror and going to push past him. But he blocked the doorway, smirking.

I sighed. "What the bloody hell do you want?" I crossed my arms, quirking an eyebrow.

"Am I going?"

"You want to go with me." I deadpanned. "You don't even know where I'm going."

"And? Do I need to?"

"I'm going to see Taylor for a little while. And I know for a fact that Harry's there."

Immediately his opinion changed.

"Oh, never mind…" He said with a disgusted tone in his voice. "Why do you hang out with them? Weasel's a blood traitor, Pothead's a bloody idiot, and Mudblood-"

"Don't call her that, or so help me I'll do something you won't like."

He shut up, but shot me a glare.

"The point is, that I don't think you should hang around them. They aren't good for your image."

"Since when have I ever cared about my image? And maybe _you're_the one ruining my _image."_I air quoted him, rolling my eyes and scoffing. He was taken aback.

"_Me?_Never. I _improve_your image."

"Oh yeah, definitely…" I muttered, pushing past him and taking my wand and coat from my bed, as well as my phone. I made sure to send Taylor a quick message, letting her know I would be there in a few minutes, and pocketed my phone.

"I'll be back by tonight for your stupid social party."

"It's not stupid. It's tradition."

"You believe in tradition?" I sighed, though unsurprised that he did this every year.

"Well, yeah. What, a guy can't believe in that stuff?"

"No, he's supposed to be tough and root for football and be macho and all that stuff."

"What's football?"

"Never mind, you wouldn't get it…" I rolled my eyes, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I won't be late, I'm just going to visit her for a little while. What time does that party start tonight? I need to know when to be here so I can get ready."

"It starts at six. Don't be late. Mother will murder someone if she's made to wait."

"Oh, she's the _reason_I won't be late…" And after making sure I had everything, including Harry's and everyone's gifts in my bag (Extension charm), I left for the fireplace.

Screw the Ministry; I didn't need permission to visit my friends.

* * *

><p>"Didn't I already give you a gift?"<p>

"I didn't come begging for more. I just wanted to spend a bit of time with you and Harry and Ron and our friends."

"Suuuure. I'm still not giving you anything else; You got your gift already." She crossed her arms, a grin on her face.

I rolled my eyes. "Would you just let me in?"

I was standing outside on the stairs, while Taylor was standing in the doorway, looking suspicious.

"You didn't bring ferret!Malfoy with you, did you?" She narrowed her eyes, looking around outside.

"No, I didn't. He _wanted_to come, but be thankful I told him Harry was with you."

"You didn't tell him _where_we were, though, did you…?"

"No, I didn't. I think I'm better than that. Now, can I _please_come in? I'll freeze to death out here."

She sighed, but stepped back.

"Was that so hard?" I teased, going by her and into the warmth, which immediately set to work on my numbing limbs.

"Don't answer that." I said quickly, noticing that she was about to respond. She closed her mouth again, and shook her head.

"How did you know-?"

"I've known you for eleven years. I think I know enough about you that you were going to say 'yes'."

"Touché."

"Thank you." I smiled sarcastically, and followed her down the hall and into the kitchen, which was filled with warm firelight and laughter, as well as wrapping paper scattered all over the flagstone floor.

"Alright, who started the party without me?" I said, and everyone turned, seeing me standing with Taylor at the door.

"Where've you been, Alyssa?" Ron turned, and I noticed he was wearing one of his mother's annual homemade sweaters.

"What do you mean, where've I been?" I asked, unzipping my coat and hanging it over a chair at the table.

"Well, after you and Tay made up, I figured you'd be over right away."

"I _was_here; I don't know why you weren't here…"

"Didn't Taylor tell you?" He asked, his face confused.

"No… Why, what's going on? What am I missing?" I turned to look at her.

"Uncle Arthur was in the hospital. That's where everyone was; visiting him." She explained.

"Well, where is he now? He's not…"

"I'm here." A voice said, and when I peered through the mass of bodies that were the Weasley's, I finally saw Uncle Arthur, sitting in a chair covered in casts and stitches, and not looking all that great.

"Bloody hell… What happened to you?"

"A snake attacked me." He grimaced in pain, shifting a little in his seat, and I noticed that everyone looked uncomfortable talking about the subject, but Harry seemed the most agitated.

"Oh… Well, you're alive and okay; that's the most we can ask for." I smiled, and everyone sighed.

"Dear, have you eaten yet?"

"Well, um, no, not really…"

"Well, sit down, sit down! We have plenty of food left!"

Everyone seemed grateful for the subject change, and chatter started once again.

"How come you didn't tell me?" I asked quietly, sensing that Taylor had come up beside me.

"It slipped my mind. With everything going on-"

"It's fine. I'm not mad. Just more _shocked_to see him in this state..." I said, glancing at Mr. Weasley, who smiled even though it was clear he was healing.

She shrugged, and I noticed a necklace that she was wearing.

"Wow… That's beautiful… Who got you that?"

"Harry did…" She blushed, a strange sight for her.

"A tree? Why a tree?" The tree in question sparkled under the light, throwing white spectral lights across her neck.

"It's how I… How I described our…Uh… Relationship." Her hair fell in her face, hiding her blush that had gotten even redder.

"Aww. He's a sweetheart." I smiled, knowing that he was good to her.

"Yeah… So, what are you doing here, anyway? You sent me a message, but you were so brief-"

"I need social time with someone normal before that bloody party tonight."

"Party-?"

"Yeah, the Malfoy's are having some kind of Christmas party. Again."

"_Again-_?"

"Oh- I forgot to tell you about that…"

And so came the explanation. In the conversations that were going on around us, no one could hear except for us.

* * *

><p><em><strong>110<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Be safe, be careful, be alert, never wander at night, always wear all your gear when you fly, be sure to - !"

"Dad! I know! I get it." I laughed, wriggling out of my father's grasp as Aunt Molly shuffled all of her children onto the train. "I'll be extra careful and do all my homework and all that stuff a good kid does, alright?"

"You're a jerk."

"I know."

"Apple doesn't fall too far from the tree." Aunt Giselle pointed out with a kiss on my cheek. "Have fun, dear. And don't be afraid to _write_. Your father gets lonely."

"Because you're always off with your _book club_!"

"Guys," I interjected, laughing as the duo turned to look at me. "I really need to get going."

"The train, of course, sorry love." Dad kissed my head and handed me my luggage before shooing me off.

"Have fun!"

"Study hard!"

"Behave yourself!"

"_Goodbye!_"

I rushed to clamber onto the train and pushed through a few people to find Harry, Ron, Alyssa and Hermione already claiming a car. I slid the door open, throwing my luggage in with the pile and dropping myself into a seat.

"You made it," Ron grinned, sitting across from me. "Harry was _worried_."

Harry narrowed his eyes and made a face that implied his temptation to stick his tongue out at Ronald.

"Ron was too busy making eyes at Hermione to notice you weren't here."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

I cocked an eyebrow and glanced out at my father and aunt, wondering how they'd infused their minds into Harry and Ron's bodies. There was no escaping the bickering of family, no matter where you went or how much you paid to be seated as far away from them as possible.

"Excited?" Alyssa asked, nudging my ribs as she sat down next to me.

"Only to see everyone again," I sighed, smiling at her. "Not so much for the learning bit." _Unless it involved secretly learning how to defend ourselves in a magical room all the while trying to keep ourselves on the down low from a crazy dictator. _

"Me neither; especially with OWLS coming up. Not to mention Umbitch stalking the halls like a vulture waiting to snatch up Dumbledore's job. Bloody hag,"

"I know what you mean," Hermione agreed. "Somebody has to _do_ something about her! She'll bleed us all dry," She glanced at me quickly, and I resisted the urge to scratch at my arm instinctually. "Literally."

"Do they still hurt?" I heard Ron ask out of the blue, and my eyes widened with the initial shock of the question.

"What?" I stumbled, blinking.

"The scratches," He repeated. "Do they still hurt?"

I pursed my lips and pushed my sleeve up. I hadn't worn a t-shirt without a sweater since holidays started, for fear of my father or anyone else asking questions about the scars; and with the weather, the long sleeves weren't questioned either.

Staring down at them for a moment, I shook my head and sighed.

"No, not for a while…" I answered finally, mustering a smile that seemed to ease the tension. It didn't stop the subtle glances however, which didn't really bother me as much as the fact that the words were there in the first place.

_I will not skip classes._

_ I will not vandalize school property. _

_ I will not bitch out the teacher. _

Oh I'll bitch her out, alright.

I pondered over all of my mishaps in the past four months, noting that I was rather good at getting myself hurt. From cracking my skull to carving out my arm to breaking down in a closet and having my back sliced open.

"God damn," I muttered, "Why do I even leave the dorms? I'm gonna get myself killed!"

"Finally!" Ron exclaimed. "I've been trying to say that for years!" I promptly whacked the side of his head and continued.

"Seriously; why don't you guys stop me from doing dumb shit?"

"They're lessons," Hermione patted my arm, pulling the book I bought her for Christmas out of her bag and flipping it open.

"Gee, thanks." I deadpanned, slouching in the seat.

"Does…" I looked to Alyssa, who was frowning, looking at the floor as though she was at a loss for words. "Does your…_ugh_!" She hissed at herself, taking a deep breath before biting her lip in irritation. "Does your head ever hurt?"

She rushed the words out, and it took me a moment to sort them out.

My eyebrows knitted together and my lips parted as I understood. I sighed and sat up again, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to me. She made a noise in her throat that indicated her surprise, but I didn't let go.

I ignored everyone around us for a moment and spoke.

"How often do you think about it?"

She was silent again as she slowly slipped her arms around to return the gesture.

"Every now and then…" She finally said.

"Too often," I returned strongly. "It doesn't hurt, not since Madame Pomfrey patched it; you don't need to worry yourself about it."

"I can't just forget about it." She breathed, her hair tickling my neck.

"I'm not asking you to. But you can't dwell on it either. It was a lesson hard learned for both of us; but a lesson learned nonetheless."

"It's not that easy, Taylor!"

I closed my eyes and smiled, "I know." I assured, "But spouting profound nonsense always works for Dumbledore – figured I'd give it a try."

"Sing me a ballad next time." She shook her head as she pulled away, the moment over.

"I was considering it," I laughed, leaning back again. "But I figured Disney would sue me or something."

"You figure a lot."

"'Cause I don't really _know_ much; assuming is what I do best."

She rolled her eyes and chuckled, and I closed my eyes in contentment.


	15. Chapter 15

_**AN: **_**I know this is late...again. Summer's been hectic, I'm sorry! And don't forget - we love reviews! Don't be afraid to tell us what you think! :) **

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><p><em><strong>111<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

After going back to the Malfoy mansion and having to endure hours of torture, Christmas was over. New years followed soon after that, and the next thing we knew, we were heading to the train station. To look somewhat _normal,_we rented a limo, much to the dislike of Draco.

"Why couldn't we just Apparate into the station?"

"Because most Muggles freak out when someone just randomly appears out of thin air."

And, because I'd always wanted to ride in a limo.

"Stupid, filthy, Muggles-"

"Oh, calm down."

After making a quick stop at the convenience store to buy some Redvines and some other deliciousness, we were on our way.

"Want one?" I asked, pulling a delicious strand of awesomeness out of the package.

"What is it?"

"Just _eat_it." He took a bite from the liquorish, and 'mmm'ed.

"This is good. What is it?"

"Redvines. The most delicious snack in the world."

Oh yes. Very good.

And soon enough, we were on the train. Upon asking me if I wanted to go sit with him and the other Slytherins, I shook my head.

"Are you serious? You're going to go sit with _them-_?"

"Keep it up and I might stop hanging out with _you._" I glared at him, and he shut his trap, heading down to the table compartments while I went to find Harry and the others.

Many hours and many snacks later, we were getting off the train. It was late afternoon when we arrived, the sun starting to set. It set the land in an orange-red glow, setting the illusion that the castle was on fire. The snow sparkled, the chilly air biting at us.

"Let's go find a carriage," Taylor suggested, taking her carry-on and hoisting it over her shoulder. We headed off, and I turned to look back to see Draco getting off the train with Crabbe and Goyle, as well as Pansy and Blaise. Pansy seemed particularly close to Draco, which unsettled me.

_He could leave at any time,_ I realized. He was known for cheating and sleeping around.

_Didn't that mean he could do the same to me?_

My stomach tied itself in knots at the prospect.

* * *

><p>The next day came much too quickly, and my want to sleep in that morning ended up winning me a cold shower and being half an hour late for breakfast.<p>

_Keep on your toes, Alyssa…_I chided myself, making the decision to wear my long-sleeved blouse today as well as my cloak for Herbology and Potions.

The dungeon has no heating.

After a breakfast with Draco and his cronies -and no mail from my parents- it was class time. Even though Charms had always been a favourite class of mine, I wasn't looking forward to it. I didn't want to sit in a classroom and learn spells; I wanted to be home, I wanted my parents…

-I wanted to do something _not_educational.

I nudged Taylor, and whispered to her my devious plan.

"But we just got back to school! The teachers will be looking out for students like us."

"Just tell Harry." I sighed, and went back to pretending to do work, my stomach now fluttering with excitement.

The plan went down the line of friends, until finally everyone was informed. I looked at us, and whispered, '_ready?_' They all nodded. The teacher was turned to face the chalkboard, writing a note that everyone was supposed to take. I slowly got up, and grabbing my bag, inched toward the door. The teacher noticed, however, and he turned to face me.

"Miss Anaya, what are you doing up? Please sit down and take this note."

"Oh, um, I was feeling a little sick… I figured I would go to the Hospital wing to see what was wrong."

"Oh, sir, I'll take her," Taylor piped up, already packing up her things.

"Well, alright…" He looked unsure, but he wanted to return to his class before it turned to disarray.

After leaving the class, we went down the hall a little ways, before hiding in a nook. In five minutes, we heard sounds coming from the class, people yelling and the teacher trying to calm things down.

"Fainting Fancies," we heard, before Ron and Harry came around the corner.

"Who was the unlucky victim?" Taylor asked, knowing that neither boy would take it.

"Crabbe. The stupid git saw the little candy on the floor and didn't hesitate." He made a face, but Harry looked amused.

"It was pretty funny; the second he took it, he just fell over like a boulder." He grinned, high-fiving Ron.

"Alright, well, let's get out of here." I said, checking the halls, before setting out.

* * *

><p>To make it look like we'd actually been to the Hospital Wing, Taylor and I went in, and I told Madame Pomfrey how I hadn't been feeling well. She did a quick check, deemed me healthy, and told me to just go back to class.<p>

"I feel dizzy, though… Can I just go to my Common Room and sleep for a little while?" I said in a hopeful tone, wishing she would just deem me SICK and let me go.

"If you're dizzy… Alright. Take this, and have your friend here help you to your Common Room. If it persists, I want you to come see me, alright?"

"I promise, Miss." I smiled, and taking the potion and pretending to drink some, vanished it under my breath and left with Taylor.

"And there's our alibi." I grinned.

* * *

><p>We went to Gryffindor tower, and the guys were unsure about me going in.<p>

"You're a Slytherin. I don't know about the Fat Lady letting you in…"

"Not to mention your stunt with Taylor-"

"Well, maybe we can go somewhere else," Taylor piped in quickly, scratching her arm.

"Well… We could go to… The Room of Requirement…" I said slowly, not knowing whether or not Harry and Ron knew about it. Taylor's face showed anxiety, but she nodded.

"What do you think, guys?" She looked at Harry. He was indecisive for a moment, then nodded.

"That works."

And we bypassed Gryffindor tower, the Fat Lady watching us silently.

* * *

><p>The Room of Requirement had decided to make us a room with board games, a mini-Quidditch area, a piano -for me!- several bean-bags, and a couple shelves of books. This was all we needed to hide out for a while. While Harry and Ron decided to play Wizard Chess, Taylor grabbed a bean-bag to watch Harry and Ron and I sat at the piano, playing various songs that I knew how to play and learning others by ear with my iPod. It reminded me of doing the same thing with Draco, and I decided I would come back later tonight with him to maybe take up a new song.<p>

"You're dazing off," Taylor spoke, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I realized she was there.

"What's up?"

"Nothing too much, just…thinking." I shrugged, playing a composition of my own, placing my right thumb on E and fourth finger on B.

"Nothing? You look like you've got more than that."

I glanced at Harry and Ron, who were still playing Wizard Chess. They were sucked into their game, not paying that much attention to us.

"I was just thinking about coming here with Draco… Before the break, we would come up here sometimes and just… Hang out. We'd play music and learn to play it, we could just be…normal." I stopped in the middle of my song, and played a little bit of Pirates of the Caribbean. It was slower than it should've been played, though, and the effect wasn't the same.

"Is that where you went every night?"

"Not all the time. Before it got cold, we would sit by the Lake, or we would be in the Common Room…never always in the same place."

"I always wondered…"

We were both quiet, and she came to sit with me on the bench.

"Do you love him?" She whispered, and I looked at her.

"I…I don't know." It was true; I always wanted to be with him, I never got tired of him, but we had our ups and downs. It was a good question to ask.

"I'm not sure." I watched the keys on the piano, watched them float down effortlessly with my aid, and come back up after I took my hand off.

"Do you love Harry?" I asked her, looking back up.

She was silent. It was quiet for the longest time, and finally, she answered, "I guess I don't know, either."

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens, won't we?" I smiled, playing _Chop Sticks_.

"I know this!" She grinned, and began playing nonsense on the piano.

"No no no, that's not how you do it…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>112<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"You…should never play the piano." Alyssa drawled out, still blinking to try to get the sound of my fingers slamming random keys out of her head.

"I was just having a little fun," I grinned. "Besides, I'm no good with music, but you're the one who let me within range of the piano in the first place."

"I think I lose brain cells talking to you."

"You love me though."

"Still can't figure out why."

I laughed as we stopped by the portrait of the Fat Lady, who watched us with unwavering interest.

"You'll get it one day; Goddric knows you're smart enough to."

"Ah, the geek and the delinquent; who'd have thought?" She sighed contently, watching me from the corner of her eye as I shrugged.

"More like wannabe delinquent; but you try, that's what counts."

"_Hey!_"

"Kidding, kidding! You're not a delinquent! Don't hit me!" I laughed, raising my arms above my head defensively as Alyssa's fist threatened to connect with my head.

"Damn straight. Oh, and Goyle stuck his gum under your desk; the one with the skull and crossbones on it, in Potions."

"God _damn_; only _I_ get to put gum under my desk!"

"You didn't hear it from me," She chuckled, patting my shoulder. "Have a good night."

"You too," I sighed, hugging her before she head off towards the dungeons. _Creepy_. "Sweet dreams!"

She shook her head in response and didn't look back, but I could see the smile on her face nonetheless.

I, in turn, returned to the Fat Lady. She smiled in greeting, and I gladly sung the password to the Gryffindor dorms. Pleasantly surprised, she returned with an 'enter' at a note higher than I would dare.

"Thank you!" I responded in song before stepping over the threshold and plopping myself onto one of the couches by the fireplace. Athena's soft fur tickled my forehead as she walked across the back of the couch, settling herself beside my head.

"Hi love," I smiled fondly, reaching up to pet her as Crookshanks wandered under my legs. "You had a good time here, I hope." She mewed softly, kneading at my scalp as she purred. "Aw, who's a good kitty?" I laughed.

As the kneading continued however, and the claws came out, I began to feel like cringing and squirming around until they were removed was a viable solution.

"You look like you're watching Umbridge try to hit on Snape."

_A strangely similar feeling._

"Very humorous, Ronald." Hermione chimed in, sitting beside me on the couch and pulling Athena from my hair. "But she'd more likely be simply hitting him."

"With a stick." I clarified, rubbing my head as I cocked an eyebrow. "If only he would grow a pair and take a swing back in her direction."

"Not likely a viable occurrence," Hermione sighed discouragingly, running her fingers through Athena's fur. "And _no_, that _doesn't_ mean you're up to bat."

I scowled and pouted, crossing my arms and satiating my whims with thoughts of whacking Umbridge with a baseball bat and watching her fat bloody head fly across the pitch and into the stands.

* * *

><p>"Make it a <em>powerful memory; <em>the happiest you can remember. Allow it to fill you up – keep trying Seamus!"

I felt the unwavering urge to duck every time Seamus flicked his wand, half expecting a fireball to come rushing at me as Harry did his rounds.

"George," He addressed the Weasley, "Your turn now."

My cousin flicked his wrist, the words _expecto patronum_ meeting my ears from every direction. Harry looked on, satisfied as the silver glob sprouted from George's wand.

"A full body patronus is the most difficult to produce," He was saying, continuing around the room. "But shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents – fantastic Ginny!"

The sound of a horse whinnying caught my attention as I glanced over to see Ginny's face lit up like it was Christmas all over again.

"But remember, your patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused, so _focus –_ Luna."

She didn't even glance at him, and he nodded in approval as he moved on.

"Think of the happiest thing you can,"

I turned to catch Hermione's laugh as a silver otter danced its way around her, seeming as cheery as ever. The look in her eye seemed to catch Ron's attention as well, and I snuck him a quick smirk as he averted his eyes with a subtle blush.

Neville, who was still mumbling quietly, looked rather dejected, having been unable to conjure anything.

"I'm t-trying," He insisted.

"I know," Harry assured, smiling. "It was good; this is really advanced stuff guys. You're doing _so_ well."

As he turned his back, a great dog spurred from Ronald's wand, barking as it ran into poor Neville, taking out his legs and earning itself a surprised grunt as the boy hit the floor.

Luna, who had been rewarded for her focus, smiled from ear to ear as a hare stared back at her, its silver eyes gleaming before taking off and bounding all around the room. It bounced off walls, over chandeliers, over _Harry_ and finally towards me before returning to Luna.

Harry's eyes followed the patronus, catching mine as it disappeared again.

"What are you doing?" He asked, arching an eyebrow as I leaned against the wall, my arms crossed.

"Watching," I responded, smiling. "Everyone's doing really well."

"Except you; why aren't you shooting piranhas out of your wand yet?"

I laughed and shrugged as he stood in front of me expectantly.

"You and I both know I have the attention span of a goldfish, Harry. I can't really see myself pulling this off."

"So you're not going to try?" He demanded, sounded almost like a professor.

"I never said that," I replied indignantly, furrowing my brow as I stood up straight.

"Then try. Right now. Expecto Patronum. Go."

"You sound like McGonagall." I pursed my lips, pulling my wand out.

"_Go_." He said again.

"I know!" I hushed him, flicking my wrist with an unintentionally unenthused _expecto patronum. _Resulting in a very much expected – _nothing_.

"You're not focused," Harry criticised, taking a step closer as I deadpanned, cocking an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Huh, and here I thought my stance was wrong." I drawled.

"No need to get snarky," He said calmly, a small smile on his lips. "What's your memory?"

_Memory._

_ What was my _memory_? _

_ I couldn't tell him that!_

"Oh – !...Um…" The blush crawling up on my cheeks became increasingly difficult to hide as Harry's confusion grew as well. "I…uh…"

"What?" He pushed, trying to catch my eye.

"It's…kinda…silly…? No, not silly…um…girly, maybe?"

"_Girly_." He huffed.

"I don't know!"

"Just tell me!"

"Argh!" I ran my fingers through my hair violently and spat it out. "_The library_."

"The library – ? Wha – ooh. _Oh_." His eyes widened and I felt like hiding my face as it threatened to burn from the flushed heat. "That's…your memory?"

I gave him a strained look before holding my breath. Maybe if I stopped breathing and died I could get away from this.

"I'd think you'd have a very hard time getting distracted from _that_."

I gasped and turned to him as a coy smirk played on his lips.

"Just what are you insinuating?" I demanded in huff, narrowing my eyes.

"Nothing; you were just very focused _then_."

"You're _evil_." I whispered, shocked.

"And I'm the least of your worries; that's why you need to focus."

"Hey Harry!" Seamus called from across the room. "Taylor's not the only one who needs help you know!"

"I don't need help!" I defended, crossing my arms before finishing in a whisper. "_Much."_

"Wait for me in the Common Room tonight," Harry laughed, "Try not to fall asleep while you wait though."

I groaned and uncrossed my arms, grumbling to myself with hidden excitement as Harry walked away.

"The – rug – is – _**fuzzy **_."


	16. Chapter 16

_**113**_

_**Alyssa**_

And so, school days flew by. Some went slowly, some went fast. It was still unbelievably cold out, but as long as I wore my scarf and cloak, as well as a sweater underneath that, I was good.

Taylor still disappeared every once and a while, and I didn't know where it was that she went off to, and of course I still wanted to know. But I respected her right to privacy.

It wasn't like I could be _totally_involved in her life.

Draco and I started going to the Room of Requirement again; We not only experimented with different songs, but started creating them, too. On one particular night, we were sitting at the piano bench, and I was showing him a simple scale.

"See? You start a Middle C… No, one up." He slid his hand up a key, with his thumb on Middle C.

"Now what?"

"You go up to the key that your pinky is on, than back down, like this." I played the five keys at the next C, going up, then back down.

He repeated the exercise, playing unsurely.

"Good job. But playing the piano should be smooth. Or rather, it should sound fragile in some songs, and fiercely in the right songs." I pointed out, playing the scale again and letting the notes flow together.

He played again, and it was better than the first time. "Like that?"

"Much better." I smiled, earning one back. It was still scary to see him smile, but I would just have to get used to it.

* * *

><p>At home, I had a guitar, gathering dust in a corner. It was a dark blue, that faded into a lighter shade towards the middle of the body, the hole, where the sound resonated. I hadn't really picked it up in a few years, but I knew a few basic nursery rhymes. Enough to say I <em>could<em>play the guitar. As our lessons progressed, Draco started to learn the piano and a few basic songs, and he began to teach me some chords.

"The scale is a little more different from the one you're used to on the piano," He told me, one night. "The top string here, is your first string, which is an E. Than, you have an A. Next is D. Than G. B, and finally, E."

"How am I supposed to _remember_that?"

"Simple. There's a saying you can use, just like how you use FACE or Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge for your notes. It's really easy to remember."

"Well, are you going to tell me?"

"Eddy Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddy." With each word, he played a string, starting from the low bassed string and going up to the highest one.

I laughed. "Why would you eat dynamite?"

"I don't know what dynamite is, so I couldn't tell you."

* * *

><p>And practices for Quidditch started again, for a game against Gryffindor was coming up. No one was particularly nervous, except for Flint.<p>

But he wouldn't admit it. Even though everyone already knew it.

"Those Gryffindorks won last time, and I should jinx you all for letting it happen. But we know their strategies; We've got inside information. And we'll be ready for them! Or I'll send you into the Lake. Maybe the Squid could use some company." He grinned maliciously, and I shuddered inconspicuously at the crudeness of his words.

"Who's the information coming from?" I asked.

"You don't need to know, Anaya," He spat, turning his hormones on me.

"Well, than you _don't_have the information and you're covering for yourself." I declared, crossing my arms and glaring at him.

"Or _maybe,_you're too snuggly to the Gryffindors and I can't trust you with that information."

"Whatever your thoughts are. You won't tell, _I_ think you're a toad-faced liar." I shot daggers at him until he broke the gaze.

"You're vicious," Draco stated plainly, after we had all stood up and gathered at the door, stepping out onto the field.

"To survive on this team, I have to be. I'm the only girl; All I have to do is say one thing that's not _manly_and bam, I'm off."

"Well, mouthing off to Flint isn't smart either."

"So? What's your point? I'll put up a fight before he kicks me off any time soon." I retorted, scoffing at the thought.

"Talking back to him only makes him hate you even more, you know."

"Nah; I think he likes me better for it." I grinned, and getting on my broom, zoomed into the air.

* * *

><p>The Quidditch game finally arrived, and everyone was gearing up in the locker room.<p>

"You'd better win out there, you lot, or else I'll skin your hides." Flint warned, tying and securing his equipment.

"You'd better _shut up,_or I'll jinx you…" I muttered, rolling my eyes.

Stepping on the pitch, I noticed something strange: _Ron_was there as well, instead of up in the stands like he normally was.

This was going to get interesting.

I had noticed that some of the Slytherins were handing out badges in the Common Room. Upon receiving one, my stomach had turned cold.

It was plain silver, but etched on it was something bad. Very bad.

_Weasley is our King._

I thought they had been referring to the Twins, but apparently not. Ron already seemed nervous, and if he knew about these, he most likely wouldn't be any braver after them. What made it worse was that the whole team was wearing the silver badges.

"Where's yours?" One of the guys whispered harshly behind me.

"I forgot mine." I said back.

Angelina and Flint shook hands, looking about ready to kill each other, and the game started. Ron zoomed to the goalposts, and almost immediately, a hum of a song rose up beneath the commentary. I couldn't make out the words at first, for being so high and with the wind screaming in my ears, but when Jordan Lee paused in his commentary, I knew it was the Slytherins that were singing.

_Weasley cannot save a thing,_

_He cannot block a single ring,_

_That's why Slytherins all sing:_

_Weasley is our King._

_Oh no…_I groaned mentally, hoping for his sake that he tried to ignore it.

_Weasley was born in a bin,_

_He always lets the Quaffle in_

_Weasley will make sure we win_

_Weasley is our King._

I was furious with my House. It was one thing to brag about being Pureblooded; Another to be whores. But it was crossing the line when they singled someone out for being new at the game.

With cheers from Slytherin, and the opposite from Gryffindor, I knew that we had just scored a point. I felt bad for Ron. Why was he even a Keeper?

Ten minutes later, we were at forty, and Gryffindor only had ten. I looked around for Draco or Harry, wanting to just end the game, while Ron might still have some dignity left. The Slytherins were singing even louder now, so that everyone could hear properly who they were supporting, and I knew that it was driving everyone insane.

And I saw it. Harry was diving after a gold speck, and I craned my neck as I saw Draco catch up quickly. Harry was so close, yet so far. His fingers were a foot away, and Draco's hand was crawling up to close the gap as well.

And it was over.

"_He's got the Snitch! Harry Potter has caught the snitch! The final score is 160-40 for Gryffindor!"_

So, we had lost. But at least Ron could say that he had held on long enough for them to win.

I landed a little ways from where Harry was, and saw that Draco had landed there as well. I could see the sneer on his face.

_This can't be good…_ My warning bells were going off.

I ran over to them as fast as I could, but it was too late for any type of repair damage.

"…Wanted to write another couple of verses. But we couldn't find rhymes for 'fat and ugly' - we wanted to sing about his mother, see…"

"Draco, stop it. It was a fair game. You almost had it." I grabbed his arm, trying to pull him away, put he yanked it back.

"We couldn't fit in 'useless loser' either - for his father, you know."

"_Draco,_that's _enough."_I gritted, trying my best to get him the hell out of there before someone's face got pummelled in.

Harry was acting rigid, angry. I couldn't blame him, either; Draco was being a dick.

"You like the Weasley's, _don't_ you, Potter? Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles, even the Weasley's dump smells OK."

"_Shut up,_Draco. You're digging your own grave, here!" I about yelled at him, trying to keep my composure. Harry was holding back George, while three of the girls on the team were trying to hold back Fred, who looked delirious.

Draco wouldn't listen to me. He took his arm back and shot me a glare that said _back off._I didn't. I wasn't scared of him.

"Or maybe, you can remember what your mother's house stank like, and the Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it."

Harry released George. He was pissed off. Both Harry and George ran at Draco, and it was all I could do to move back fast enough to avoid getting run over by a train. They jumped Draco, and I tried to pull them up.

"_What on Earth are you doing?"_Screamed a certain referee, who sent a spell at Harry and he was forced off Draco. He was left at the bottom, whimpering like an injured dog. Harry hadn't seemed to have collected any real injuries, and George had a fat lip. Fred was still trying to fight the three girls, and wanted a piece of the action.

Madame Hooch glared at the both of them, and sent them to Professor McGonagall. The crowd dispersed, and no one bothered to help or stay with Draco.

"What is your _problem?"_I yelled at him, getting down to his level.

"They cheated! I couldn't let that happen!" He yelled back, through his swollen eye and bloody lip.

"You acted like an obnoxious _pig!_I thought you were better than that!"

"You would've let them win like that?"

"They won _fairly._You acted like a spoiled brat who was told NO, and you had a temper tantrum. I can't believe you. Not only did you embarrass _me, _you completely disgraced our team. Good job. I hope you're happy." I got up, and walked away, not even bothering to help him up.

* * *

><p><em><strong>114<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

I waited, like I had the past couple of nights, for Harry to meet me in the Common Room. He'd throw his cloak over us and we'd sneak back to the Room of Requirement for an hour or two of one-on-one training. Mostly for my focus; I still couldn't conjure a full bodied Patronus, but I could get a fairly decent shield.

For a few moments anyway.

This time however, I was able to focus clearly on one thing without distracting myself with surrounding points of interest; why wasn't Harry here yet?

I knew he'd been practically dragged off the pitch after pummelling Malfoy, but I hadn't been able to reach him in time to calm him down. Or perhaps join him, from what I heard of the fight.

The point now, however, was that he had been sent to see Professor McGonagall, and still hadn't returned. People began filing out of the room, heading up the stairs to their dorms. Hermione offered a quick goodnight before heading up, following swiftly by Ron.

"Hey," I called softly, and he turned back before reaching the stairs. "You did great today Ron; staying on your broom in the first game is the greatest accomplishment a rookie can earn."

He offered a quick, saddened smile before joining the rest of the House in the dorms. Except, of course, for myself and a certain dark-haired Seeker.

I plopped myself on the couch and swung my legs over, my head on the arm rest as I waited. The fire beside me flickered excitedly, portraying my restlessness with envied ease. I bit my lips, scratching at my arm before fiddling with the strings from my sweater, wishing I could relax instead of imagining the worst.

Pulling one side of the string out, and then the other side, and then the other, until it became a fitful habit I usually associated with pacing. I could feel it sliding across my neck through the thick fabric and it tugged at my hood with every pull.

Then the Fat Lady's disgruntled 'enter' reached my ears, and I forgot about the strings long enough to jump from the couch and turn to see the portrait swing open. Harry walked through, his hair dishevelled and his eyes dark and heavy. His lips were pursed in a tight line and his eyebrows wrinkled in an expression that sent his fury off in waves.

Then he saw me however – my hair a mess from lying on the couch, my eyes tired and concerned, and one string that was much longer than the other – and his expression soften. The anger was replaced with exhaustion, and he walked over to me, looking as if his shoes were filled with lead.

He reached out, taking the strings in his fingers and pulling to even them out. He gazed down at them for a moment before letting out a breathy sigh and dropping his head to my shoulder.

I blinked a few times after taking in a sharp breath at the contact, and my arms hung awkwardly at my side as I contemplated what to do.

What had happened? Where had he been? Why did he look so…

_Drained?_

Slowly, my arms lifted to wrap themselves around Harry, holding him to me as his own snaked around my waist. He smelled of dirt, sweat and…_perfume?_

I frowned, dozens of restless thoughts heightening my paranoia. Where could he have been for so long for him to smell like perfume? It was subtle, yes, but it was there. It was there and I could smell it and I recognized it and - _and I recognized it_.

"Harry," I whispered suddenly, refusing to release him. "Where were you?"

He didn't answer, but I didn't relent.

"What happened?"

"Harry, you've been gone for hours."

"_HARRY_."

He only held me tighter, his breathing shaky against my shoulder. Slowly, cautiously, he reached behind, removing my left arm and turning his head so that he could see it with his forehead touching my neck.

My pulse raced, my heart thumping in my chest as he ran his fingers over the words carved so cruelly into my skin. It exploded like a bomb, sending shrapnel through muscle and flesh to get lodged between my ribs when he laid his wrist atop mine.

The words he spoke were quiet, heart-wrenching and pained; I couldn't bear to look away as I felt my pulse pound against his forehead. Showcased, highlighted by the orange glow of the fire, were the red, jagged, gory lines that spelled out the unmistakable morals of Dolores Umbridge.

_I must not tell lies._

"We match."

* * *

><p>No one was pleased with the scribbled words when they were revealed the next morning; but once Harry had gathered his bearings, I realized that a detention with Umbridge was not the only punishment given the night before.<p>

"What do you _mean_?" I snapped angrily, feeling my nails dig into the palm on my hands as I clenched both fists. "She can't do that!" The Great Hall was filled with voices, everyone no doubt talking about the earlier Quidditch incident that left both teams a little worse for ware.

"Actually, she can." Harry grunted, looking down at his breakfast like it had her face on it. "And she did. Angelina will be holding tryouts for replacements sometime soon." He nudged a piece of bacon with his fork, with no real intention of eating it either way.

"You've been Seeker for five years!" I argued again, "You can't just accept that she's kicked you off the team!"

"What else can I do?" He asked, looking resolute in the fact that he was simply going to stare at him plate until it exploded. "She's like Hitler or something."

"If she starts killing off muggle-borns she's gonna wish she had killed herself." I assured, feeling like simply shoving the bacon into his mouth. He took a small sip of his pumpkin juice and returned to his fork. "There has to be _something _we can do."

"Hope that our replacements don't suck?" Fred suggested, sitting across from us.

"Did you get booted too?" I gasped, frowning.

"Both of us," George popped up behind him, looking less than impressed with their current situation.

"Are you kidding?" I seethed, clenching my teeth.

"Not this time, love."

"God _damnit_!"

"Try not to hurt yourself," Ron suggested, reaching over me and plucking Harry's bacon from his plate. Harry watched him casually for a moment, before deciding that he couldn't be bothered to care. "We'll figure something out."

I narrowed my eyes and felt my blood churn, "We'd better."


	17. Chapter 17

**_AN: _Wow, I realize these are ridiculously late. I sincerely apologize to anyone still reading this story and hopefully 8 new chapters will start to make up for it. With school now, LaSpellbound and I have been particularly preoccupied, but don't think we've given up on this! We're still dedicated to finishing this story - so please, _please_ don't give up on us! I really hope you enjoy these chapters, and don't be afraid to review!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>115<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

"Would you just give me a chance-"

"Draco, do me a favour. _Shut__up__and__leave__me__alone.__"_

After being healed in the hospital wing, Draco had sought me out in the Common Room. And half an hour after that, I finally made it out of there. And after being kicked out of the Library by Madame Pince, I had to sneak _back_into the Slytherin dungeon, with no such luck.

"I just want to _explain-_"

"You can't explain for what you did because you were showing off with your friends again. I can understand that. But the fact that you did it at all pisses me off. I can't believe you."

"Well _sorry,_but I don't think that they won fairly and I wasn't about to let them go without putting my side of the story in!"

I turned on my heel and faced him. He put the brakes on his steps, not realizing that I would stop at any point.

"That wasn't your side of the story; that was you being a sore ass loser. And I'm _sorry_if you don't realize that. But maybe you need to take some time out, and think about that."

"_What-?_"

"Just leave me alone." I stalked off down a side hallway, losing him long enough to run through lots of hallways and avoiding him.

At least until class.

When I entered the Great Hall, I saw all the Gryffindors crowded around one area of the Table.

When I joined, I realized it was Taylor, Harry and the others.

"What's going on?" I asked, slipping into the table, paying no mind to the people who protested because I was a Slytherin.

"Well, your boyfriend over there? Yeah, he got Harry kicked off the team. Guess what else? Fred and George are gone, too." Taylor fumed, and I felt another stab of hate at Draco at the moment.

"F*ck. Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. In fact, Umbridge banned them from ever playing again and confiscated their brooms."

"Well, join the hate club. You think I'm happy about this?"

"He's _your_problem."

"You think I keep a tab on all of his happenings? Do you know how much trouble that would be? I didn't know what they were planning during the game, much less what he was going to do _after_it."

"Well, you should keep a leash on your bitch. Because of him, we're screwed. There's no way we'll have a chance of winning the Cup, let alone ever again."

"I'll kill him." I muttered, massaging my temples and wondering why it was that Draco had to be such a child.

"Do that for me, would you? Save his head; I want to kick it through the hoop on the Quidditch field."

"I'm so sorry, Harry; and Fred and George. I can't believe Draco did this, and had I known, I would've tied him to the goalpost." I knew it was a meager apology, but I knew Draco would never apologize personally, or even feel the guilt over the act.

"It's not your fault." Harry sighed.

"No, but I could've done something about it."

"No; you did enough, just trying to pull him away."

I felt bad; it was Draco's fault that Harry couldn't play Quidditch. And it was Fred and George's last year! Draco had basically ruined that for them.

"Fred… George… I'm sorry…"

"Oh, don't worry about it. After all, it gives Fred and me more time to work on our shop." They grinned devilishly at each other, and I worried about that.

"What-?"

"We'll experiment-"

"-On our products-"

"-And when the time is right-"

"-We'll test them-"

"-On dear Umbridge!"

"You two freak me out." It was weird how they seemed to read each other's minds.

"They do that." Taylor shrugged.

* * *

><p>"… Has started the Inquisitorial Squad, and has asked me to join!" I heard someone's voice boast proudly. I rounded the corner, and saw Draco and his cronies talking. Pansy was with him as well, clinging to his side. I stayed where I was hidden from sight and listened to what they were talking about.<p>

"Ooh, how nice, Draco. You must be so proud." Pansy crooned, smiling up at him with her sickly eyes.

"Well, I can hand out detentions and take points away if need be; I can do anything I want now. I report to Umbridge, and she lets me off the hook whenever." He grinned, and I wanted to yell at him for being such a stupid-ass.

"Ooh, that sounds so awesome."

"It is; she only asks the purest and best people."

"That's fascinating, Draco." I entered the conversation, leaning on the wall. He turned, and seeing me, his eyes went wide.

"Alyssa-"

"Real interesting." I rolled my eyes.

"She asked me. What was I going to do; turn her down?"

"Well, you _could_have, but apparently, you _didn__'__t_." I motioned to the badge shining on his cloak, crossing my arms.

"Of course I didn't; I'd be crazy not to."

"Well, you're not just crazy; you're an idiot. She's having you do her dirty work for her, so that she doesn't get her hands soiled in the process."

"And what if she asked _you_? What would you say?"

"I would tell her no, obviously." But even as I said it, I realized how stupid it would be to do that. Saying no might piss her off, and she might put me through a detention just like she did with him or with Taylor or Harry.

I took his arm, and brought him farther from the group.

"You didn't say yes because you wanted to, did you?"

His face showed incredulous, and he shook it, but I knew I was right.

"You said yes because you knew that she would give you detention again. You were _forced_ to do it."

A slight nod, and I was horrified. All I could do was hope she _didn__'__t_ask me.

And I remembered who I was talking to.

"You know what? You would've deserved it for what you did on the Pitch. What am I talking about? Of course you would've deserved it!"

"When did this turn into another pity session?"

"Since I realized that getting your arm carved into might do you some good!"

"You think it's _fun,_having words cut into your arm about a thousand times?"

"No, I never said it was!"

"Well, you didn't have to. It's written all over your face."

"Ugh, you're so stupid!" I said in annoyance, wanting to tear my hair out.

"You know what? Just go back to your friends. Pretend that being Umbridge's pet is fun. But you won't fool me. Don't come crawling to me when you find out how much of a bitch she is." I stalked off, leaving an annoyed Draco and sitting in my own steam for a while.

* * *

><p><em><strong>116<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Come _on_! You were nearly there!" Harry urged, watching me as I nearly whipped my wand across the room. "You need to _focus_."

"I'm too angry to focus," I ground out, clenching my teeth to resist pulling my hair out.

"_I_ was the one kicked off the team, Taylor."

"I know! And you don't even look _irritated_. _One_ of us needs to be pissed." I clarified, crossing my arms as he sighed. "And speaking of which; how come you're _not_ pissed?"

He pursed his lips and shrugged. "I am."

"You are," I cocked an eyebrow, repeating him.

"I am," He nodded, "But I can't let that anger _get__in__the__way._"

I huffed, knowing that if I was going to pull off the patronus charm, I needed to calm down. One of my many flaws however, was my short fuse; it wasn't all that easy to stop the explosion once the fuse reached its end.

Sighing in defeat, I gave Harry a hopeless look before readying my wand.

_Focus__on__your__memory!_

Sucking in a sharp breath, I delved into the thought that was supposed to help me focus on my charm.

xOx

"_I find myself, wanting to know everything about you – how messy your hair is in the morning, if you still cry when Mufasa dies, who your first crush was,"_

_I feel him touch the left side of my face and move my head so that he can look me in the eye. His words are so sweet and the smallest of smiles graces his lips as he looks at me in a way that I have only dreamed about._

"_If your lips taste as sweet as your breath,"_

_I can feel it – it's happening again. We're getting closer, my heart is pounding a million beats a second, and I can barely get myself to think straight._

"_The answers you're looking for," I begin breathlessly, "My hair…very messy." We get a little closer, and he looks down at my lips as they part. "I do cry, nearly every time I see it."_

_I glance down at his lips, and my heart begins beating even faster, if that's possible._

"_And you."_

"_And the last one?" He inquires quietly, almost as though it doesn't need answering._

"_I'll let you be the judge of that,"_

xOx

"_Expecto__Patronum_!"

A flash of white light that nearly blinded me finally dimmed enough to see as a deafening sound pounded in my ears. In front of me, shaking it's thick mane, was the mascot of our House, looking at me with silver gleaming eyes that seemed more intelligent than most of the people I knew.

The lion walked towards me, and I forced myself to focus, wanting to keep it materialized for as long as possible. Harry said nothing, standing behind me quietly, and I dared not look back at the beast reached me, its head level with my shoulders. I kept a firm grip on my wand, and took a shaky breath as it moved. I lifted my arms as it brushed its face against my sides and along my back – like a cat would. I bit my lip as I smiled, not quite believing that I had done it.

Wait – I'd done it!

I conjured a patronus!

"H-Harry – !"

"I know," He breathed.

I turned just enough to face him, a grin on my lips, and he smiled back before I returned to the lion. A male lion, obviously, what with the mane and such – what would I call him? Was it normal to name one's patronus? Probably not – had others named theirs? Probably not – did I care? No, definitely not.

_How__about__Mufasa?_

I laughed at the thought – Disney would probably sue me.

* * *

><p>"What is an <em>Equatorial<em>_Squad_?" Ron asked incredulously, narrowing his eyes in confusion and flinching away as Seamus' pumpkin juice exploded a way down from us.

"_Inquisitorial_Squad," Hermione corrected. "And it's something that Umbridge doesn't have the authority to _create_. She's planning something – I heard she's already asking Slytherins about taking positions as a part of the squad after it becomes official."

"What do they do?" I snorted, "Walk around punishing wrong-doers?"

"In a sense, yes." She nodded, "Pansy boasted that Malfoy, being a part of the squad, would be able to take away points from other Houses."

"Only teachers can do that!" Ron argued indignantly.

"Be glad they have no real power then," Hermione stated, huffing as she looked at the uneaten food on her plate.

"Yet," I grumbled, "If Umbridge is up to something, it won't be long until she's gotten her grubby little hands on the entire school."

I considered picking up my fork and perhaps _eating_ my dinner, but Harry's head appearing out of nowhere over Hermione's shoulder delayed my intentions.

"Trelawney's just been sacked." He breathed out. "Umbridge,"

"What?"

I spun my torso around to see Alyssa behind us, her eyebrows raised in shock as we stood up from the table.

"Something about being an unfit teacher – she couldn't provide a prophecy."

"Well she can't; she's crazy." I reasoned, "But she doesn't deserve to be sacked!"

"Too late; McGonagall managed to let her stay in the castle – but she can't teach anymore." Harry sighed, sitting down at the table.

"So…wait," I slowly sat back down, unsure. "How do _you_ know?"

"She made a spectacle of it in the courtyard." He groaned, "Trelawney looks like she's been crying for hours."

I bit my lip, angry and unsettled. Dumbledore couldn't do anything, or he would have already. Umbridge must have had a plan – what did she want? I looked down at the food, still sitting and cooling on the table.

I pushed the plate away, having lost my appetite at the thought of Umbridge taking over the school. Hogwarts was supposed to be our sanctuary. How could we feel safe with something like _that_ stalking our halls?

I looked to Alyssa, wanting to bump up our next DA meeting; but with her ties to Malfoy and now this Inquisitorial Squad…

We couldn't risk it. I wouldn't.

But _f*ck_ it was hard not to tell my best friend the most important secret of my life.

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN:<em> Please don't forget to leave us a review! We live off of them! We love reading your thoughts!**


	18. Chapter 18

_**117**_

_**Alyssa**_

After discovering that Trelawney had been sacked, everyone was just walking around the castle for a little while, at least until curfew kicked in and they snuck back into the castle.

I decided to stick with Taylor and Harry; I didn't have anywhere or anyone else to go to, anyhow.

We were passing through a side hallway, when we noticed an owl, flying along outside the walls. It was a dark brown colour, but it wasn't short and plump, like Hedwig was; this owl was much longer and its wingspan was longer as well.

"Remind me to buy an owl the next time we're in Diagon Alley," I stated absently to Taylor, who I noticed was watching the owl, but soon returned her gaze to Harry, who was talking.

Instead of bothering to listen to their conversation, I walked alongside and continued to gaze around me. I took in details that had become familiar, and others that had been unnoticed, like how many of the flagstones appeared ragged and rough, while others seemed polished and smooth. As I allowed my gaze to roam, I noticed a couple figures in the corner of my eye, following at a far distance from us.

Instead of looking back to see who it was, I looked ahead, and nudged Taylor.

"We've got a follower," I muttered, and she stealthily reached up to scratch her head, while getting a look.

"I can't tell who it is. And we don't know if they're following us. Let's take a few turns. We'll see what happens."

But even after testing them, they remained a while back.

"One thing to do," I said.

"And that would be…?"

"Engage James Bond Mode." I grinned, and she returned it, much to the confusion of the boy on her other side.

"What on Earth are you two talking about-?"

As soon as we had rounded the corner, we ran as fast as we could, swerving at last minute hallways and taking well known hidden passages.

When we finally stopped, all three of us were breathing hard and bent over at the waist, trying to catch our breath.

"What-is-_wrong_-with you two?" Harry wheezed, leaning on the nearby wall for support.

"We were losing our tail." I said, standing up straight and breathing hard.

"_What?_"

"There were people following us." Taylor clarified, and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Did you see who it was?"

"No. We couldn't get a good enough look without them realizing that we knew they were there."

"You two are strange."

"So we're told," Taylor stated, grinning.

* * *

><p>After we had split up and gone our own ways to our Common Rooms, I went in with the crowd of Slytherins so as to better camouflage myself from Pansy and Draco. I didn't want to see either of them at that moment, and I knew that once I was spotted, there would be no hiding.<p>

Draco had started giving up on trying to apologize to me for his behaviour on the Pitch; In some deep recess of my mind, I didn't blame him. If I was in his shoes, I might have done the same thing.

I wanted to forgive him, but every time I wanted to tell him the past was the past, I remembered what had been caused because of his behaviour and grew angry again.

He had caused Harry to be banned from Quidditch, along with the twins.

Could I be blamed for the way _I_was acting?

* * *

><p>It was several days later that I noticed Cho Chang with Harry. Taylor was doing homework; I was walking around with my iPod, knowing I also had homework waiting for me in the Common Room, but putting it off. I noticed him walking ahead of me, and realized that someone was with him.<p>

I slowed, not wanting to confront him as of yet. He was just walking. I wasn't his mother or anything.

The girl- her hair said so -lifted her hand to move her bangs, and I saw her side profile; it was Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker. She was talking to him, and she smiled, touching his arm lightly.

I grew suspicious. I knew he wasn't doing anything, but Cho Chang… She looked like she was trying her best to _flirt_with him. As Taylor's best friend, I felt like she deserved to know. But I didn't want to blow it up and make it sound like it was something totally different.

She'd have to know. I'd tell her as soon as I saw her next.

* * *

><p>Care Of Magical Creatures was in the afternoon, just after lunch. It had always been kind of a favourite of mine, because Hagrid taught it, and even though I was Slytherin, he didn't look down on me, which was nice.<p>

It was as we -Taylor, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I- were going towards the class, that we also noticed a certain toad-face in a pink dress going the same way.

"Oh no. _Please_tell me she's not going to be there for our class." I prayed, but to no effect.

"I think she is…" Ron groaned. "What the bloody hell is she doing?"

"I think she's evaluating him," I had noticed the clipboard in her hands, the same one that had condemned Trelawney.

"Oh no…"Hermione said, wringing the strap on her book bag. As we grew closer, we heard her talking to Hagrid.

"…Got my note that I would be assessing your class?" Her voice was cold, as well as the usual nasal frequency.

"Er, I did, but I didn't think you'd be here today…" He stated in his deep voice, scratching at his beard. He was nervous, and I felt bad for him.

"Well, no matter. I'm here now. You may continue with your class. Pretend I'm not even here." She smiled her sickly sweet smile, the one that said _I__hate__you,__but__I__'__ll__pretend__I__wouldn__'__t__stab__you__in__the__back__with__my__quill._

Needless to say, Hagrid's class was interrupted by 'invisible' Umbridge, and she made him nervous. Draco kept snickering and calling him a big oaf, and all I wanted to do was punch him.

By the time we actually got through the class, Umbridge had already left, and we could see her vibrant pink shroud against the snow so well, that she was like a beacon. Once you saw her, it was all you could see against the brilliant white powder.

"Hagrid, you did fine." Hermione said, hugging her books close to her. Ron nodded, but Harry looked worried.

"Hagrid, she's a horrible old woman. Ignore her." I told him, patting his elbow -the highest I could reach, really- and looked at him. His eyes were black but they looked like they were going to start crying at any second, and rain down on us like… Well, rain.

"Thanks, you bunch. Dunno what I'd do without you all." He gathered us in his arms, crushing us.

"Hagrid - Can't - _breathe-__"_

"Oh, sorry." He released us, and we gasped.

"You know, if Umbridge comes by again, I think you should give her a real, big hug, Hagrid." Taylor grinned evilly, and by that time I figured it was time to leave, before she got too many ideas.

* * *

><p><em><strong>118<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"I swear, if Umbridge even thinks about firing Hagrid I'm gonna carve her out with _my_ quill." I grumbled as we headed for Muggle Studies. Professor Burbage had spent the last few classes lecturing about the similarities between wizards and muggles; which I could respect, except when she made us write an essay comparing magic and electricity.

It was an easy enough class though; easy enough to merit taking it.

"I doubt the Ministry would be too pleased with you." Ron said, sighing.

"They don't generally appreciate the vicious mauling of their high-ranking employees." Alyssa agreed, running a hand through her hair as we ascended towards the castle. "Not that I don't want to maul her, mind you."

"Sirius wouldn't be very impressed if you got yourself thrown in Azkaban." Harry added, taking my hand as I groaned.

"I just want to kick her in her pudgy toad-face. No offense to Trevor."

* * *

><p>"Harry! Harry, did you hear?"<p>

Harry looked over the back of the couch, watching Neville as he made his way toward him.

"Did I hear what, Neville?"

"Look!" He passed Harry the latest edition of the Daily Prophet, sitting beside him on the couch in anticipation, a sense of fear dulling his eyes.

Harry looked from the terror on the other boy's face, to the page in front of him, reading the headline.

"Broderick Bode strangled by Devil's Snare in St. Mungo's…wasn't he an Unspeakable?"

"N-not that one - !" Neville stumbled over his words, flipping the paper over to reveal a picture of Azkaban – with an uncharacteristically large hole in its wall.

"What…?" Harry's eyes narrowed as his heart rate increased with every word.

_**MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN**_

…

…

"_**We have confirmed that ten high-security prisoners, in the early hours of yesterday evening, did escape. And of course, the Muggle Prime Minister has been alerted to the danger. We strongly suspect that the breakout was engineered by a man with personal experience in escaping from Azkaban; notorious mass murdered Sirius Black, cousin of the escapee Bellatrix Lestrange." – Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.**_

"Hey, have you guys seen Hermione? She was supposed to meet me in the library, but - …hello? Harry, you ok? – Is that the paper? – What does it say? – Harry? Neville? – _Hello?__"_

The words ringing in Harry's ear grated at his nerves until finally, he looked up to see Taylor crossing her arms, looking at them both worriedly. Feeling his aggravation edge away slowly, he sighed and clenched his jaw. Neville took his paper back and stood up, walking around the couch to hand it to the brunette eyeing them suspiciously.

She placed a hand on Neville's shoulder upon seeing his nervousness, and took the Daily Prophet with her other hand, reading through the article.

"_Ten_…? Ten _high-security_ prisoners…? How could they let this happen?" She gasped out, looking down to Harry as the paper shook in her hands. "Azkaban is supposed to be the _highest__security__prison_ in the world; it's supposed to be _impenetrable_." She ground out, hissing the words as though afraid someone else would hear. "How could _ten_ _high-security __prisoners __**escape**_?"

She threw the newspaper on the coffee table angrily, before answering her own question.

"Someone helped them; Voldemort, the Dementors – someone. Sirius was the only one to escape without outside help; Crouch only got out because his _dying__mother_ took his place. There's no way ten criminals could escape by themselves. Look at that bloody hole! That doesn't just _happen_!"

"We _know_ how it happened. No one _believes_ us." Harry whispered back, his lip curling in disgust. "And if the Dementors have anything to do with it, it's a good thing I made you practise your patronus."

The thought of anyone going up against them without protection sent violent shivers down Harry's spine that would plague his dreams for countless nights. But not as long as the thought of ten criminals of the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange running free.

* * *

><p>"How's your arm?" I asked quietly, watching the fire flicker in front of us as Harry went through the Daily Prophet for the umpteenth time that night.<p>

"It's fine," He answered quickly, turning the page. He'd barely spoken a word since Neville left, and the only time he looked from the paper was to check the clock. I knew he was worried, but it wouldn't kill him to try to converse a little.

"Harry; I know what it's like, remember? I know it hasn't had time to heal yet – "

He cut me off by looking up at me with a sceptical look before returning to the paper without a word.

"Don't give me that look. You can't pretend it doesn't hurt; if you'd just let me look at it – "

"It's _fine_, Taylor." He interrupted coldly, not bothering to attempt eye-contact, his tone hard and irritated. I knew this was hard for him – it was a lot of pressure for one person. But if he'd let someone _help_ him, it wouldn't have to be that way.

"No, it's not." I replied, unrelenting. "You're pushing yourself too hard; let me _help_."

"Help with what?" He demanded in retaliation. "You can't make the scars disappear; you can't make Umbridge disappear; you can't make Voldemort _disappear_." His grip was crinkling the paper in his hands, and I could basically feel the stress and anger coming off of him in waves. He finally looked at me again, and the look in his eyes made my heart stall in fear.

"You're right," I said, clenching my teeth. "I can't; that doesn't make me _useless_, Harry." Why did it hurt so bad to hear it from him? Snape had told me countless times, Umbridge would scrawl it on my forehead if she could, but Harry…

"You don't know what useless _feels_ like." He accused, "To be the person everyone expects everything from. To be the famous Boy Who Lived, and not be able to do anything while the most dangerous man to ever live is back because no one believes you!" He bit his lip and snarled, throwing the paper down and standing up from the couch as I stared, unbelieving, at the flames still flickering in the fireplace.

"You don't know what _it__feels__like_." He whispered harshly, looking as though his heart was exploding in his chest and his resolve was wearing thin. "You don't know what it feels like to grow up knowing you had your parents taken from you."

My heart lurched and tears sprung in my eyes, but I couldn't bring myself to show the weakness. This wasn't Harry; it couldn't be. He wouldn't do this. I knew he wouldn't.

"You're right," I nodded, looking up him to see the realization in his eyes. Those weren't the right words, and he knew it. They struck home like an anvil hitting the floor, and it felt as though my ribs were caving in as I tried to breathe. "It's much easier when they leave you by choice."

He looked away again, towards the door, and I nodded as I pursed my lips, understanding what it meant.

He was done.

His feet began moving, and he was at the door when Ron came down the stairs. Upon seeing my vacant expression and Harry's receding back, he asked,

"Hey, where are you going?"

Harry didn't look back, and he didn't stop.

"I have somewhere to be."

Ron looked on, not quite believing his reason for leaving, but not in the mood to push. He sat next to me, sighing as I tried to blink back the aggressive tears trying to escape.

"What just happened?" He asked carefully, watching me worriedly.

"I don't know…" I muttered, shaking my head at the ugliness of it all. Our first fight? An emotional break-down?

_I__don__'__t__know._


	19. Chapter 19

_**119**_

_**Alyssa**_

Taylor needed to find out about Harry and Cho. But I had no idea how to tell her that her boyfriend- if you could call him that -had been walking around with another girl.

Put that way, it made me sound like a snitch. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted, after all.

Either way, I figured she should know.

The next morning, however, she told me that they had a bit of a blow-out.

''What do you mean? You never fight or argue. Ever.''

"Well, we did yesterday. I asked him if I could help him with his arm, and he said no, and I told him that he didn't have to play it cool or anything, and... Well, it went downhill from there."

Seeing as this was news to me, I kept my mouth shut and decided not to tell her.

Just yet.

"Morning," Ron said, passing by me. I replied back, and nodding to Taylor, went back to my table. Technically, I wasn't supposed to go to other tables, but come on. It was only for five minutes, they couldn't drag me by my thumbs to the dungeon.

As I sat down, the morning mail came in, and a piece of parchment dropped in front of me. Curious, I opened it.

_Sorry. Meet me in the Common Room before classes._

That was all it said.

But I had a pretty good guess as to who it was.

* * *

><p>And sure enough, when I went back to get my books, he was waiting by the stairs to the girls dorm.<p>

"A note? You sent me a note to ask me to meet you in the Common Room? We sit at the same table. You couldn't have just asked me yourself?"

He uncrossed his arms and sighed. "You know, I didn't want to talk to you just to hear you prattle on about my methods. I want to apologize-don't, I know what you're going to say. But I thought that maybe we could go to the room tonight."

I had been about to deny him, when I realized that all he wanted to do was go to the Room of Requirement where my piano was. Where we could play music all we wanted and no one would bother us.

"Alright. But don't think I haven't forgotten about your stupidity."

"I didn't believe you did. You never let anything slip past you."

* * *

><p>The morning slipped by quickly, and during first period, Taylor told me the details about her and Harry's argument last night. It seemed strange, that they had even argued about it; but I figured that maybe Harry was under stress. Whether it be Umbridge, Voldemort, or whatever else, he had a lot on his mind. He seemed sorry, though, and was talking to Taylor by lunch.<p>

It was a little less tense between Draco and I, and Taylor seemed to notice that.

"So, what's the deal between you and ferretboy? I thought you were pissed off at him."

"I was; I still am. It's just… He apologized to me this morning."

"And? It doesn't excuse what he did," She stated under her breath, sending a glare his way which he gladly returned.

"That and the fact that it's not you he should be apologizing to."

"Yeah, well, from him it's like he's ready to turn over a new leaf and become a saint."

"Whatever. I honestly don't understand what you see in him,"

"I won't answer that. You'd hate to hear me going on about it." At that point, I figured there'd be no point in telling her about going to the Room of Requirement tonight.

* * *

><p>Lunch passed swiftly, but I found that the afternoon classes were dragging on. I had the thought that maybe I was just excited and time was going slowly, than thought that Potions didn't normally go fast, anyways.<p>

But finally, the bell dismissed us, and as we were packing up, I turned to Taylor.

"Hey; did you want to do something before dinner?" Dinner wouldn't be for another two hours.

"Uh… Actually, I have to do some homework. Sorry. Maybe tomorrow." She looked apologetic, but distracted.

"Oh, alright. I should probably try and shrink the pile of homework I have to do, then…" I had been procrastinating, and I figured that maybe I should do some before heading off to the room tonight.

Leaving the class, I saw that Umbridge was walking down the hall, her clipboard in hand.

_Probably__back__from__an__evaluation__…_I thought, but she quickly gazed at me, and changed her direction.

"Uh-oh, Toad's seen you," Taylor breathed.

"Miss Anaya, am I right?" She smiled, looked down at her clipboard, and adjusted her grip.

"Uh… Yeah."

"Could I talk to you in my office?" She glanced at Taylor, upturning her nose slightly.

I looked at Taylor, shooting her a _help__me!_Look, before saying, "Sure."

I followed her away, regretting that I couldn't just go back to my dorm to put my books away. We entered her office, and the mewling on the walls caught my attention.

There were cats _everywhere._Anything that could be covered _was,_either by plates with cats or anything pink and frilly.

"I'd like to ask you something important. I haven't asked many, but those who are asked should feel quite honored."

"What is it?"

"I'd like to ask you if you would be interested in joining the Inquisitorial Squad. Certain students, by my choice, will have the power to give detention to those they feel deserve it, and take points if need be. I feel that this school needs help, and students can do it."

"I…Uh…"

_Crap__…_I thought, desperately looking for an excuse _not_to. _How__am__I__going__to__get__out__of__this?_

"I don't expect an answer right away, but I hope that you will accept. As I said, it's an honor."

"Professor… I don't know what to say…"

"I know, it can come as a shock."

_You've got that right…_

"Can I think about it?"

"Absolutely. Now, off you go. I expect you have homework that needs to be done." She smiled in what she must've thought was sweetly, and laced her fingers together.

"Thank you," I quickly made my way to the exit, and upon closing the door, swore as loudly as I dared without being overheard.

* * *

><p>By the time I put my books in my room, went down to dinner, and went back to the Common Room to change into some comfier clothes, it was past 5. I was excited; I wouldn't deny that. After all, I loved my piano, and being with Draco seemed to make it all the more special.<p>

I whistled as I was walking down the hall, listening to my iPod. I was changing the song, so when I looked up to where there _should_have been a blank wall, I saw a door. My whistling stopped.

Draco had told me he would be a little late, as he had to go talk to Umbridge; she had wanted to see him. Unless he had gotten out of that meeting early and made it here before me, someone was in there.

Tucking my iPod into my pocket, I walked carefully to the door, and opened it as carefully as possible. Thinking that there would just be someone in there for some time by themselves, I figured they'd be way at the back of the room.

Boy, was I wrong.

The minute the door opened, sound filled the hallway. Yells of 'Expelliarmus!' and 'Expecto Patronum!' were loud, and in numerous voices. I opened the door all the way, and stood, in shock.

It was a large group of people, I could tell. They all had their wands out, working in what looked to be partners.

But the most damning of all, was seeing Hermione, Ron, Harry and Taylor.

None of them had seen me yet. They were too busy sending spells. I closed the door behind me, and walked up to Taylor.

"What the bloody hell is this?"

She turned to me, and expecting someone else, saw me, and her eyes widened.

"Alyssa-"

"Is this what you guys have been doing? Having a good time? Why couldn't you tell me?"

She stammered. "Uh- What are you _doing_ here?"

"Well, I was on my way here to spend a few hours playing the piano, but I saw that the room was already open. I come in, and find you're having what seems to be a real Defence Against The Dark Arts class. Why didn't you tell me? You know I would've done it!"

She had some explaining to do. But as I stood there, I realized something:

_Draco was on his way._

* * *

><p><em><strong>120<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Alyssa, please!" I tried, noticing a distinct reduction in the spells being sent around the room. "I wanted to tell you. _We_wanted to tell you."

"Then why didn't you?" She demanded, the expression on her face difficult to read.

"You were spending so much time with Malfoy, and we knew that if he found out - "

"He'd snitch?" She growled.

"You know he would. As much as he likes you, we're still just a waste of space to him." Ron said, crossing his arms. Nearly every person in the room had now stopped what they were doing; all eyes were on us.

"Maybe he would have; but that doesn't mean he would've found out in the first place! You could have told me – _should _have told me."

"I know," I huffed, running a hand through my hair. "But we couldn't risk it. It's not just us in here, you know. If someone else found out, we could _all_ be expelled. Don't you get it?"

"No!" She cried, "Couldn't you trust me? I know enough not to tell!"

"I trust you with my _life_, Alyssa!" I grabbed her shoulders, looking her in the eye. The mix of emotions there sent waves of confusion through me; I couldn't tell if she was angry, or sad, or nervous, or all three. "Do you think it was that easy? Not telling my best friend the most important secret I carry? For us to _fight_ about it? To not get the chance to say _goodbye_, because of it?"

Her eyes grew wide for a moment, before she shut them tight. She knew as well as I that this stupid secret was the reason I almost died regretting that I hadn't said goodbye to my best friend.

"Alyssa - "

"Shut up," She interrupted. It wasn't hostile, or demanding, but the emotion was strong enough for me to quickly close my mouth. "There's another door on the other side of the room. Use it."

"What?" Harry asked, as the rest of the students inched towards the specified door. I glanced at him quickly; we were talking again, at least, but our blowout still stung at my heart. It was our first 'fight', even if it was a little strange. We still weren't back to where we were before it.

"If you're so concerned about Malfoy finding out," I looked back to Alyssa as she continued quietly, looking to him. "Then perhaps I should inform you that he's on his way."

Harry shot me a look of distress, then turned to the rest of the students who had yet to leave the room. No one moved; the door was still closed.

I moved quickly, wrapping my arms around Alyssa, much to her surprise. "I'm sorry," I whispered, "I'm so sorry." She said nothing for a moment, and returned the hug half-heartedly.

"Go," She finally responded, pulling from my grip. I sighed, nodding before stepping back and joining the rest of the students.

Or I would have joined them, had the room not begun to shake.

"What's going on?" Someone asked loudly, and we saw the chandeliers above us waver uncertainly. "Was that an explosion?"

The answer came quickly after the question. Before anyone had time to respond, a mirror to our left shattered, sending glass scattered across the floor. I approached it, followed by Harry, and examined the wall behind the mirror, ignoring the shards crunching under my heels.

The small hole in the wall revealed a flash of pink, and the cripplingly annoying voice that seemed to follow it around.

"I'll make short work of this,"

I felt Harry grab my arm and yank me back, but I could only focus on one thing. _We__'__ve__been__found__out.__She__knows.__It__'__s__over._I was vaguely aware of shouting, and Harry spinning us so that his back faced the wall, but it was the explosion and flying debris that shook me from my thoughts.

_Shit!_

Harry slowly released me, and we turned to see Umbridge looking quite pleased with herself, surrounded by students I recognized to be from nowhere but Slytherin. Her smug grin grew as Malfoy came into view, pulling a girl with him; Marietta Edgecomb. One of Cho Chang's friends. Gasps and yells were heard throughout the word, but my focus was once again drawn to one detail.

It was, of course, the word _SNEAK_ written in boils across her forehead.

And again, I barely noticed Umbridge's voice echoing in the background.

"Get them."

We didn't have time to fight back.

* * *

><p>"We've been watching them for weeks! And see? Dumbledore's Army! <em>Proof<em> of what I've been telling you _right_from the beginning, Cornelius." Umbridge prattled on, the Minister for Magic watching all of us intently as we stood in the Headmaster's office. I felt the Slytherin behind me tighten his grip on my arms. "All your fear-mongering about You-Know-Who never fooled us for a minute. We saw your lies for what they were; a smokescreen for your bit to seize control of the Ministry!"

Was she mad? Did she know what she was accusing _Dumbledore_ of doing?

"Naturally,"

_What?_

"No, professor!" Harry stepped in, but Percy, who was there as Fudge's assisstant – damnit, I'd curse him later – held onto his arm and tugged him back. "He had nothing to do with it; it was me!"

"Most noble of you, Harry, to shield me." Dumbledore sighed, and I felt my insides churn at his tone. "But as it's been pointing out, the parchment clearly says _Dumbledore__'__s__Army,_not Potter's."

Why was he doing this? _What_ was he doing?

"I instructed Harry to form this organization, and I – and I _alone_ – am responsible for its activities."

"Dispatch an owl to the Daily Prophet!" Fudge declared, "If we hurry we can still make the morning edition. Dawlish, Shacklebolt, you will escort Dumbledore," He stood straight, and looked Dumbledore in the eye. Suddenly, the entire atmosphere in the room changed, and we were all terrified that we knew what he was going to say next.

_"__To__Azkaban,__"_

_ "To await trial for conspiracy,"_

_ "And sedition - "_

"Ah," Dumbledore cut in, seeming all too casual about this while my mind was screaming bloody murder. "I'd hoped we might hit this little snag," He wandered off, towards the stairs by his desk. "You seem to be labouring under the illusion that I would, what was the phrase - ? _Come__quietly._"

A spark of hope lit in my chest. Dumbledore wouldn't go to Azkaban! He couldn't!

Everyone else in the room tensed, and Umbridge looked like she was about to send another spell flying his way. I was expecting to see the vein in her forehead pop.

"Well I can tell you this," He said seriously, glancing at Harry with that all-knowing glint in his eye. "I have no intention of going to Azkaban."

"Enough of this!" Umbridge hissed quietly, stepping forward, "Take him!"

Dumbledore winked at us as she raged, and by the time we saw Fawkes swoop down in all of his phoenix glory, it was too late. Dumbledore clapped his hands above his head, and sent out waves of energy. The currents were so strong that everyone stumbled back, trying to catch their balance. I saw one Slytherin girl fall flat on her ass before cursing obscenely.

And just like that, Dumbledore was gone. In one brilliant display of energy, he had vanished.

"You may not like it Minister, but you can't deny," Shacklebolt began, earning a scrutinizing look from Fudge. "Dumbledore's got _style_."

Amen to that.


	20. Chapter 20

_**121**_

_**Alyssa**_

That next day, Taylor informed me of what had happened last night after they had been taken to Dumbledore's office. I'd had time to quickly escape through the side door like most of the others, but Umbridge had posted a few of her Inquisitorial Squad outside the door, and sent several more after us. I had dodged into the closest bathroom, and when everyone had gone, quickly made my way to the Slytherin Common Room. Because the last house that Umbridge suspected to be apart of the cause was Slytherin, no one was sent to investigate.

Than again, this might have also been due to the fact that her inquisitorial Squad was built of Slytherins.

I didn't know what to do. I sat on the couch in the Common Room, and just thought. Thought about Taylor not telling me about the secret, thought about the fact that Malfoy had been apart of the group to break everything apart.

Thought about why my life was so completely messed up.

I was in love with a delinquent, that same boy worked for the she-devil, my best friend's boyfriend was Harry Potter, and she was currently in deep shit.

And I didn't know whether or not it was karma or crappy.

* * *

><p>I ended up staying in the Common Room until it had practically emptied, I had fallen asleep, and I was awoken.<p>

"Why are you down here?"

His face filled my field of vision. I was groggy, and it took a few seconds for me to put it in shape.

"Draco… What the hell…"

"You should be in bed."

"Go away. I'm comfy. And I'm mad at you."

"I know you are. Please don't be."

"Why? Why shouldn't I be? I don't know how you found out, but you lead her straight to them. You got them into trouble. You might've gotten Taylor expelled." I was waking up, now.

"Please trust me when I say that I had no clue about tonight, or what was going to happen. I thought I would be in the Room of Requirement, playing music… Being myself with you. I went to her office, and some girl was sitting there with boils on her face. I was only told that there was a rebellious group of students gathering tonight, and that the girl was the informant."

"As legit as that sounds, I don't want to believe you."

"You have to. And I'm so late because I've just spent the last hour trying to get Umbridge to believe that you weren't involved."

I think that was when it hit me that what he was saying was true. He didn't pretend to be caring. He either was or wasn't.

"…Really?"

"Yeah. But, _unlucky_for me, she didn't believe me. But you've at least gotten out of her invitation to becoming part of the Inquisitorial Squad; She took it back when she realized that you were there."

"I guess that's kind of good." I was glad I wouldn't have to think up an elaborate excuse to reject her.

"Why did you do it? Why would you tell Umbridge I wasn't apart of it? You could've let me get in trouble and be done with it."

He looked down, and there was a silence for a while. When he finally looked up, he said, "Because I knew you weren't. Because I knew that you had no idea it was even happening."

"That doesn't seem like you though."

He sighed.

"You need to get to bed. You can't sleep on the couch again; someone's gonna do something to you if you stay down here."

"Yeah, because the last thing that's going to happen is me getting raped or drawn on." I drawled, earning a smile and a pat on the head.

"You'd be surprised."

* * *

><p>It turned out that Draco had been right about Umbridge not believing him, as the next morning, I was told to report to her office that night. I wasn't anxious.<p>

I knew what she had planned. She was going to have me write lines. I was terrified. Nothing caused much pain to Taylor, and writing lines for Umbridge had taken a lot out of her, as well as give her a new hatred.

"Draco, I hate her. She's evil." We were walking to lunch after morning classes.

"I know. You think it's all flowers and sunshine, working for her?" He sighed.

I took his hand, saying, "We'll find out how to get you out. Even you shouldn't need to go through that."

"I know. You mean your best." He squeezed my hand, than let go.

"Hey; I know this is going to be a weird question, but… Are we officially.. You know…" I didn't really know how to phrase the question, to say the least. It was awkward when you were asking one of the most popular guys in school whether or not you were dating.

"Not sure what you're talking about."

"…Nevermind. I won't get it out, anyway." I sighed. I figured I would just save myself the embarrassment and continue to question.

"Alright."

As we neared the Great Hall, he stopped me.

"What-?" But before I could say anything else, he kissed me, softly but quickly.

"Does that answer your question?" He whispered. He had a smirk on his face, but nothing like his old ones, usually reserved for Harry.

"I would think so," I grinned.

* * *

><p>Lunch was well spent, eating sandwiches and talking. I wished that I could go to the Room of Requirement tonight instead of go to detention with Umbridge. But having my boyfriend(I could finally say that was true…) on the Inquisitorial Squad kept me posted on the fact that Umbridge now had at least one person posted near it, just in case the DA tried anything funny and decided to hold another meeting.<p>

Afternoon classes were…Interesting.

"So, you had a bit of a makeout session with Ferretboy." Taylor stated plainly, setting her books down beside me in Herbology.

"How do you know?"

"Well, let's see. It was lunch, and you chose to have it practically at the front entrance."

"I didn't start that. It was him."

"Oh, I see." Her tone was sarcastic, but she rolled her eyes and pulled on her dragon-hide gloves.

"Don't give me that face. I'm completely serious!"

"Mmhmm."

* * *

><p>Detention couldn't have come any faster that night, after dinner. The halls were full of students going outside or to the Common Rooms.<p>

When I went inside the classroom, I saw that Taylor and Harry were already there, as well as Neville and Luna.

"Oh, I don't remember you being apart of the DA…" Luna said in her usual soft voice.

"I'm not."

"Tut tut tut. Lies will get you nowhere, Miss Anaya." That whiny voice spoke behind me, and I rolled my eyes, wanting to scratch hers out.

"Take a seat, please."

I muttered to myself as I sat a couple of seats away from Harry and Taylor. She handed out several quills and sheets of parchment, then said, "I expect each of you to write the exact same thing that I tell you. There will be no playing with the words."

I swore I heard Taylor snicker, and Umbridge paid no attention.

"You will all write 'I must not conspire against the Ministry' until I feel you have learnt." She sat down, and sipped from her tea.

_Here__goes__nothing__…_I took the quill, and tried to write as nicely as possible. If I was gonna carve my arm out, it was gonna look nice, damn it.

About the second or third time of writing the sentence, my arm began to itch. I knew what I'd find there, but it still came as a shock to find the words etched into my skin. Blood welled out from the cuts, oozing over and staining my arm as they continued their race.

As I wiped the droplets away, I thought sardonically to myself, _Only__a__few__hundred__more__times__and__maybe__I__'__ll__scar.__I__'__m__going__to__seriously__hate__the__Ministry._

* * *

><p>When the clock hit quarter after nine, Umbridge got up and walked around. After seeing her handiwork, she let us go.<p>

"Not so fast, Miss Anaya. I'd like a word."

_KILL ME NOW…_

"I'd just like to say that I'm very disappointed in you. I felt you were a respectable student, which was why I extended the invitation to join the Inquisitorial Squad. But not only have you disgraced your House, you have disgraced yourself. I hope you are happy with the end result."

"I got to spend some quality time with you, I believe it's time well spent." I smiled sweetly, wanting to kick her.

Her smile faded, but she said nothing, neither rewarded my sarcasm with another detention.

"You're parents have been notified, as well. I felt that seeing as they work for the Ministry, they have the right to know about your hobbies these past months."

"You wasted your time. I haven't gotten any mail from them since before the Christmas Break. If they do reply, let them know their daughter still exists." With a nod, I exited the classroom.

* * *

><p>By the time I made it back to the Common Room, there were few people and Draco was one of them.<p>

"How are you feeling?"

"Faint, actually… She kept me longer than everyone else. Wanted to let me know that she had told my parents and that I had disgraced myself." I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Like I really cared."

"What'd she make you write?"

" 'I will not conspire against the Ministry'." I showed him, and he grinned.

"There's something to be proud of."

"Yeah, considering yours is telling you not to cheat on tests." I smirked.

"Alright, alright, you win. Do you need help bandaging it?"

"No, I've got it. But thanks, anyways. I think I'm gonna do that and head to bed." On my way up, I stopped, and turned. "Nice job with lunch today, by the way. Did you mean for the whole school to know?"

"I like to make everyone clear on my life." He smiled a little bit.

"You need Facebook."

"What?"

"Don't worry about it. Good night." I laughed, and headed up the stairs to wrap my arm and grab some badly-needed sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>122<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

The quiet that seemed to follow Harry wherever he went, unnerved him to no end. After being forced to write lines with Umbridge, he was surprised they weren't all expelled.

Then again, Dumbledore had taken all the blame. Where'd he gone, Harry couldn't even begin to wonder. Not that he had much else to ponder while he wandered the halls aimlessly.

Even the portraits were silent.

Umbridge would be designated Headmistress. She'd done it; taken over Hogwarts. He imagined they'd be little more than pawns of the Ministry now; unless they tried to rebel of course.

_But__look__where__that__'__s__gotten__us._

Harry scuffed his feet along the floor furiously, but could will himself to do little more than that. Umbridge was watching now; always watching.

His hands in his pockets, Harry continued down the hall, every once and a while remembering to breathe.

The only sound was his breath.

Until he passed by the girl's bathroom. Had Moaning Myrtle been playing around with the taps again?

He stepped closer and peered inside, to see only one faucet running. Water splashed in the large basin of the sink, and aggravated huffs and cries emanated from the figure of a girl, roughly his height – if not a little shorter – with long dark hair cascading down her back.

She scrubbed furiously at her arm, and blood flowed between her fingers to blend with the water in the sink. She was crying, judging by the way her body shook and her breath came in short, ragged takes. Someone from DA no doubt, trying to wash away the words now carved into her arm.

_Cho__…__?_

What should he do? Approach her? Try to help her? Calm her down? He'd seen her more often in these past few days, maybe she'd listen to him. It almost reminded him of how Ginny had begun acting before Christmas break –

"_So…so what? Ginny…likes me now…?" He asked, unsure of how to take her words. She looked embarrassed, and almost…shy. She was never shy._

"_Yeah," She breathed, returning her face to her hands. "And her daft cousin resents her for it."_

That's right…Ginny had acted that way because she'd liked him. Did that mean Cho…?

Shaking his head, Harry scoffed at himself. Never in his life until this year had a girl liked him, let alone three. But that wasn't true either, was it? How long had Taylor liked him? How long had she cared? Surely her feelings hadn't suddenly sprouted spontaneously after nearly five years of friendship. He knew his hadn't.

Where was she now? His heart skipped a beat at the thought. She now had four sentences carved into her skin; surely she couldn't have been in the best of moods. Perhaps he should try to find her? They were at least talking again, but he could tell she still hurt from their argument. And what a stupid thing to fight about! God, he was an idiot. Maybe he should just give her some space…

Why was he even thinking of this now? Cho was standing in front of him, crying over a sink with blood pouring from her arm; he couldn't just stand there! He was about to take a step forward, making his presence known, when Cho seemed to lash out.

She hissed through her teeth, forgetting about the blood for a moment to grip the faucet on the sink. With a furious tug, she ripped it from its place and whipped it violently across the bathroom. It hit the wall and tumbled to the floor, the sound echoing against the stone. The water still flowed from the tap, but Cho didn't take any notice. She slumped to the floor, her knees weak, but kept her grip on the edge of the sink.

The breath caught in Harry's throat, and he made no move to confront her. The situation had just changed dramatically, and he had no idea how to respond. Blood trickled slowly towards her shoulder now, disappearing beneath the sleeve of her robes as gravity forced it downwards. The words '_I__must__n__ot__conspire__against__the__Ministry_' were red and puckered, nestled choppily beneath the three, already scarred lines above it.

They were not the lines of Cho Chang.

"_Taylor_?"

Her body went rigid, her muscles tensing as she froze. She tried to halt her body from shaking; tried to hold back the racking sobs and salty tears. She didn't try to move, or lift her head even. It simply hung between her arms; her hands were still holding the rim of the sink so tightly, her knuckles had turned white.

"Fuck."

It was a whisper. She sounded so quiet, so defeated; was she the same strong, outspoken, sarcastic girl he knew?

"Taylor," He repeated, "What – ?"

"What are you doing here?" She cut him off, still hushed and curled into herself.

"I…heard the faucet…" It still spewed water feverously, washing away the red that stained the basin. "I thought…"

What did he think? That she was Cho. He couldn't tell her that. What if she drew the wrong conclusion?

What if she already had?

She'd noticed Ginny's behaviour towards him; she could just have easily noticed Cho's. There wasn't anything there, but after their blowout, would she take his word for it?

"What do you _want_, Harry?" She sounded so pained, desperate almost, as though the tears were breaking out and her voice was cracking and she needed to regain her composure _now_.

Finally, he moved. He walked towards her, the sound of his shoes against the floor muffled by the sound of the running water. He knelt by her left side, catching a glimpse of her face – the skin red and tender – behind the curtain of her dark hair.

"_How's your arm?"_

He grabbed her left arm carefully, near her elbow to avoid grazing the jagged cuts.

"_It's fine,"_

He saw her eyes dart to his, the green that was normally so lively was instead dull and jaded. She said nothing as the blood began to coat his hand, nor did she try to pull away.

"_You can't pretend it doesn't hurt; if you'd just let me look at it – "_

He wrapped his other arm around her waist, forcing her to her feet. She didn't object as he gently pushed her robes off her shoulders, smearing the blood over her skin.

"_It__'__s_fine_,__Taylor.__"_

He led her arm under the warm water again, washing the blood away, dried and fresh alike. He heard her breathing falter, and saw her bite her lip lightly as though trying to conceal the pain. Had it hurt her this much the first time?

"_No, it's not. You're pushing yourself too hard; let me help."_

What right did he have to do this? To do this to her when he himself had pushed her away? And she didn't even resist. After how he'd so blatantly refused her help, she simply stood there, biting her lip and trying to stop the tears.

"_Help__with__what?__You__can__'__t__make__the__scars__disappear;__you__can__'__t__make__Umbridge__disappear;__you__can__'__t__make__Voldemort_disappear_.__"_

"I'm sorry." He said softly, using her robe to pat her arm dry.

"It's just a robe." She murmured, looking away as he tried to catch her eye.

"_You're right, I can't; that doesn't make me useless, Harry."_

"I didn't mean the robe."

She looked back to him quickly, as though to make sure she understood. He sighed, pressing the fabric to her arm again as she blinked, her eyes still red and lackluster.

"Harry,"

"I acting horribly; I shouldn't have…I shouldn't have said any of those things." He held the robe to her skin with one hand, and brushed her hair out of her face with the other. She took in a breath, her lips parted slightly with words that never left them. "I'm _sorry_, Taylor."

She let her breath out then, a ragged, choppy breath that accompanied the look of desperation in her eyes and the words that caught Harry by surprise. Words that he would never expect the girl in front of him to utter; that he didn't think she was capable of saying unless dripping with sarcasm.

"_I__'__m__scared_."


	21. Chapter 21

**_AN: _There are no excuses - my humblest of apologies! To anyone still reading and checking in - we love you! **

* * *

><p><em><strong>123<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

It's funny how you don't really notice how good and healthy your body was until you get words carved into your arm.

By this point, I hadn't really gotten used to the throbbing, or the fact that they hurt to even have fabric rub up against them, but I had learned that I shouldn't provoke anything if it didn't need to happen.

After the third time someone bumped into me and grazed up against my arm, I hissed through my teeth and bit back a swear that would've startled most of the students, including Taylor, though she might be MIA.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Draco. I'm just tired of people walking into me and feeling like my arm is on _fire._" I had bandaged them tightly with a fabric from the First Aid Kit in my suitcase, and closed it. It had secluded the wound, but only made it feel worse.

We were leaving the Great Hall, just before everyone so as to have time to go back to the Common Room and grab our stuff. We had a common interest; hating bringing our stuff to breakfast. It only took up valuable room.

As we walked, I noticed two certain red-heads disappearing down a side hall, their arms full of packages. I immediately worried.

_The twins are planning something… That's not exactly a good thing…_

I didn't mention anything to Draco; it would be less trouble for the two mischief-makers.

"Practice is cancelled tonight; something about Flint being busy. All the guys are going down to the Pitch to throw the Quaffle around. That means the Common Room and the Boys Dormitory will be empty."

"Nice try. I'm not interested in that." I gave him a pointed look and he blushed.

_Blushed._

"I didn't mean _that._I meant that we can take the guitar out and play a little. The Room of Requirement hasn't really lost anyone's interest yet; I heard that someone tried to get in and they got tackled in the process."

Ooh, that sucked.

"Alright. But hands to yourself, got it?" I smirked when he blushed again, his cheeks almost a bright pink.

* * *

><p>Morning classes revealed Taylor, and I questioned her about her disappearing act the day before. However, she wouldn't give me anything, and only after speaking to Harry, did I find out anything at all.<p>

"Well… Taylor was in the washroom. Washing her arm. And, uh… Well, she wasn't feeling the greatest. I was walking by and I heard her."

"Heard her? What do you mean?"

He hesitated slightly, seeming unsure whether or not he should say something.

"She was crying."

Before I could say anything, the twins came around the corner, laughing about something, and I put my guards up.

"What's up? I saw you two do a disappearing act this morning. What are you up to?"

"Well, you see, we're going to have a little bit of fun with old Umbridge." George grinned, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear what they had planned.

"Phase One should be starting soon," Fred mirrored his brother's face.

"Yeah, you'd better get into the Great Hall, so you don't attract any attention. Wouldn't want you involved."

And with that, they passed us and disappeared again.

"Um, I think we should leave. Just in case…" I said uneasily, and he nodded.

* * *

><p>'Phase One' ended up happening right after lunch.<p>

Herbology was held outside, so we got to see the whole thing from outside.

It had been rather noisy to start with, as people chattered went about gather the necessities for extracting Snuffalump seeds.

As I was approaching my Snuffalump, a huge _BANG_erupted at the castle.

"What on Earth-?" I turned, to look up through the roof and saw bright colors and what looked like purple and blue _dragons_exploding in the castle. Taylor quirked an eyebrow, and with a look, Harry, Taylor, Ron and I snuck out and ran to the castle.

There were colors everywhere. Blue wheels flew through the halls, rockets whizzed, and dragons roared. As we ran through the halls, fireworks raced overhead of us, and I could see that Umbridge was trying to send spells at them, while Filch was beating at one nasty firework with a broom, setting it on fire.

I saw a banner move, and went over, moving it aside slightly to reveal Fred and George laughing.

"Nice of you to join the party," Fred grinned.

Harry smiled wide. "It's brilliant."

"A new product for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Problem is, we've used up our whole stock for this. We'll have to start off from scratch. But it's worth it." George laughed loud, but it was masked by an explosion.

"Oh, I hope she tries to make them disappear next. They'll divide by ten every time you try," Fred grinned again, wiping tears from his eyes.

"You guys are evil. But amazing." I moved the banner aside a little, to watch Umbridge get chased down by a blue dragon.

The look of terror on her face made my whole day.

* * *

><p>After grudgingly going back to the Greenhouses, we watched the castle as fireworks flew out through windows, and had the teacher threaten us with detention if we didn't pay more attention to our Snuffalumps, as they were trying to sneak away.<p>

We had Care of Magical Creatures afterwards, so it wasn't until second last period- Muggle Studies –that we actually got back to the castle. It was then that we got to see the real fun.

Because we had been outside, we hadn't really been subject to fireworks flying into the Greenhouse or near Hagrid's cabin. But in Muggle Studies, we found out that some teachers had been calling Umbridge from all over the castle to get rid of a stray firework that had managed to find its way in.

I suspected this was the teacher's way of getting back at her, because McGonagall had actually closed the door on her face, saying that she hadn't known whether or not she had the 'authority'.

Either way, I was enjoying every minute of it.

* * *

><p><em><strong>124<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

Lunch wasn't as enjoyable the next day as I'd hoped. Hagrid had finally returned from his personal leave during the holidays, and when we'd gone to see him in his hut, Umbridge was already threatening him with unemployment. He was confused, to say the least, and explained to us that Dumbledore had sent him to try and persuade the giants to ally with us. _Giants_. Hagrid was beaten and a little bruised; nothing too serious. But he had mentioned that Death Eaters had already approached the giants in hopes that they'd join Voldemort. Luckily for us, they didn't.

It didn't stop the unrelenting worries though.

"This is ridiculous!" Ron grumbled loudly, glaring down at his plate as though it was the sole reason for his anger. "She's taken over the entire bloody school! She's shooting rules out of her ass and now that Dumbledore's gone, there's no one to stop her!"

"Did you hear?" Seamus asked from beside me, sounding almost as angry as Ron. "Boys and girls can't be within 8 inches of each other now; I'm breaking a bloody rule by sitting down!"

"You're right," I mused, looking between us. "That looks to be about 7 inches. How dare you?" He rolled his eyes and I pushed him lightly. "I heard Filch took down all the portraits too; Umbridge must be paranoid, thinking they're spying on her for Dumbledore."

"She's delusional if she thinks anybody's going to take her seriously." Hermione sighed, sitting on the other side of me, looking more anxious than upset. "Has anyone seen Harry?"

"Not since yesterday, after the fireworks show." I said, shrugging before slipping a hand under my sleeve to itch at my arm. I couldn't help but remember being in the bathroom, crying like a baby having a fit. It was a moment of utter weakness, and of course he had to show up. He'd apologized, for everything, and helped me get myself together. And yet, the entire time he was with me, he seemed unsure. Like he was on the verge of making a decision and seeing me like that had only pushed him further towards an answer.

I began to think that confessing my fears had been the wrong thing to do. I'd tried so hard to pretend they didn't exist; to hide the fact that the thought of a full-scale war terrified me to no end. To cover up the tortured doubts that kept pushing further and further into the forefront of my mind.

My breakdown in the bathroom was unacceptable; it was as if there were only two sides to my personality, and they were polar opposites. There was more to me than that, but I guess that's what I got for being a Gemini. Perhaps it was time to stop hiding behind false strengths and overconfidence.

"I'll help you look for him," Ron stood grudgingly, sneering at his food before scratching at his own arm. "I'm not hungry anyway."

I watched them get up and leave, knowing I should go with them. I sighed, mostly to myself, and got up; offering Seamus what was left on my plate. He smiled up at me, though it may have been a little forced. No one was ever in a happy mood anymore. I was about to leave the Hall when Ginny walked in, looking absolutely miserable. Feeling my gut wrench, I grumbled a few curses and approached her.

"Hey," I started, catching her attention. "What's up?"

"Oh!" She blinked, pulling her hand from her sleeve – which I was now hypersensitive to – and looking at me sheepishly.

I offered a small smile. "Touching them doesn't help; I know. I don't even realize when I scratch at them now. They get red and inflamed."

"Madame Pomfrey's got some ointment that works wonders," She nodded, looking as though she had no idea how to talk to me. Not that I could blame her.

"Really? Maybe I'll go see her…" I took a deep breath and stopped her before she could walk away. "Ginny – look – I…I'm sorry, about…you know, Harry, and everything."

"About Harry?" She asked, confused and more than a little amused. "Taylor, I'm not daft. After the way you reacted, I could tell you liked him too. And it was even more obvious that he liked you back; you two were the only ones who couldn't see it." She chuckled a little, and I gaped.

"What?" I struggled to get the words out. "You mean…you're not angry? Upset? You don't feel betrayed?"

"Boys are the least of my problems, now." She laughed, running a hand through her red hair.

"Dear god, I'm stupid." I breathed, "I thought you hated me!"

"I was bitter for a little while," She admitted with a grin, "But I got over it."

"Merlin, even my little cousin is more mature than me." I huffed, pinching the bridge of my nose and shaking my head.

"Your self-awareness does you credit." She smirked, patting my head.

"Alright, you enjoy your lunch." I grinned, "I have to go grow up." As I jogged out the doors, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Now, if I could only gain the same sort of closure with myself.

* * *

><p>"Harry, if it's anyone's fault, it's ours." Hermione urged as she and Ron followed Harry across the bridge. They'd finally found him; but he looked a little worse for ware.<p>

"Yeah," Ron added, "We talked you into it."

"Yeah, but I agreed." Harry sighed, looking out at the mountains. "I tried so hard to help, and all it's done is make things worse." His voice sounded strained, like he'd given up already. "I know it doesn't matter anymore. I don't want to _play_ anymore; all it does is make you care too much, and…" He shook his head once, biting his lip as he frowned. "…the more you care, the more you have to lose. Maybe it's just better to…"

"To what?" Hermione asked quietly, looking at him with a sadness that seemed to echo what they were all feeling.

Harry stopped for a moment, and Ron shuffled his feet as the darker boy thought.

"To do it alone," He finally said, turning around with a sense of finality. Hermione and Ron watched him, unsure of what to say or how to say it. Before either of them could come up with the right words, a loud 'psst' from across the bridge caught their attention.

"Hagrid?" Harry asked, watching as the half-giant shuffled his feet to slide further behind one of the pillars, looking sheepish and desperate.

"Come with me," He said, "The four of ya,"

_The__four__of__-__?_

Harry turned around, a hint of dismay in his eyes when they met the dim remorse in her green ones. It seemed they had a way of catching each other off guard, for he hadn't heard her approach, or stop just a few feet away from Ron and Hermione. Close enough to hear what he'd said; he knew.

She seemed accepting, but he knew otherwise. If she'd known what to say, she'd have said it without a second thought. She would have put him in his place and reminded him that he couldn't do this alone; that they were all there with him. But she was at a loss, and what Hagrid had to show them…it wouldn't help to clarify her thought process any faster.


	22. Chapter 22

_**125**_

_**Alyssa**_

_Travelled all around the world to be with you_

_You never know where the open road will lead you to_

_I crawl before I walk, but still got nowhere fast_

_The other side still has the greener grass_

My iPod was cranked high during dinner, one headphone in while the other dangled in front of me. I had taken lunch time to update my iPod, and I was glad I had. Every once in a while, I had different stages of different music types. And right now I was going through a 'bass' stage.

"What are you listening to now?"

I paused my music, and turned to Draco.

"It's called 'Long Way Down' by Daughtry. It's a really good song. You wanna listen?" He shook his head, but told me instead that he wanted to save it for after, if we wanted to go to the Lake.

"Really?" I grinned. We hadn't gone there since well before the Christmas Break. It had been cold since we'd gotten back, obviously, but now it was starting to warm up a little.

"I wouldn't be suggesting it if I wasn't serious."

* * *

><p>We sat at the water's edge, away from the tree where Taylor and Harry liked to go.<p>

And once upon a time, where I went and life wasn't complicated. Where we plotted and told secrets and did things that were much too crazy for any normal teenage girl, let alone two of them.

I looked at the tree, thinking that even back then, life might've been stupidly difficult, but compared to now, with Umbridge and Voldemort…

"…Even listening to me?"

Admittedly, I hadn't. I hadn't even realized he was talking until I'd seen someone walk in front of the tree and break my trance.

"Sorry, I zoned out. What were you saying?"

"I _was_saying that I want to try a new song, but you don't look like you're interested."

I sighed. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about how life used to be so much easier without Umbridge around to ruin our lives."

His face softened just a little bit.

"I know. It was better, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Then again, I had to deal with your taunting. I can't seem to get a break…" I pretended my hands were scales, and weighed which would be better.

"I wasn't that bad."

"You still are, to some people. I used to dream of flushing your head down the toilet than kicking it through the goalposts."

He was silent, and I thought I might perturbed him a little bit, so I took my iPod out of my bag, and selected a song from the menu. "Here. It's by a band called Maroon 5. I like it. I don't know if we can play it, though." I handed him the earphone and pressed play.

_What am I supposed to do with this time_

_It tear's so many holes, I stay afloat but I'm_

_Feel out of control, so petrified_

_I'm petrified_

_What am I supposed to do to get by_

_Did I lose everything I need to survive_

_Cause its 4AM and the sweats sets in_

_Did you get my message, did it send_

_Or did you just get on with your life_

As the song continued, I removed my headphone and let him go through my iPod, telling him he could pick the one he liked. I laid back on the grass, using my hands at the back of my head as a pillow, and shut my eyes, enjoying the feel of the grass tickling my back and the breeze blowing my hair lightly.

A few minutes later, he told me he had found one he liked.

Taking the headphone, he pressed the replay button, and an old favorite started.

_They fall in line, one at a time_

_Ready to play_

_No time no to lose, we've got to move_

_Steady your helm_

As much as 'Blow Me Away' was a louder song, I still loved it. And I was surprised he had picked this.

When the song ended, he tried to give the iPod back, but I shook my head.

"Take it for tonight; Find something we can try to play." I smiled, and noticed people were running into the castle.

"Where's everyone going?" I muttered, getting up following suit.

Draco ran after me, and we made it in time to see that a rather large _swamp_ had appeared in the Entrance Hall.

"What on Earth…" I watched, mouth agape, as Fred and George seemed to be cornered by Umbridge. She didn't seem to be the friendliest-Like she ever _was_-and Filch looked positively excited.

"So-You think it amusing to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?" Umbridge looked absolutely pissed.

"Pretty amusing, yeah." Fred didn't seem the slightest bit worried, and I commended him for even talking like that to Umbridge.

Filch had a form in his hand, practically jumping with happiness. "I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting… Oh, let me do it now…"

"Very good, Argus. You two," She looked pointedly at the twins, "are about to learn what happens to wrong-doers in my school."

And then, what possibly could have been the best and worst thing they could have done happened.

"You know what? I don't we are." This was Fred. He turned to George. "I' think we've outgrown full-time education."

"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself," George answered.

"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?"

"Definitely."

And at the same time, raised their wands and Summoned their brooms, which everyone knew were chained up in Umbridge's office. Said brooms went flying over the crowd, with chains following.

They grabbed the brooms, and looked to Umbridge.

"We won't be seeing you." Fred said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch," They mounted their brooms.

As they rose up slowly, Fred looked down at the crowd.

"If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley – Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, our new premises!"

"Special discount to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat." George pointed at Umbridge.

"STOP THEM!" Umbridge screamed, but at that point it was too late. The twins were already up in the air and on their way to freedom.

And the best part was when Fred saw Peeves, floating a little ways off from everyone.

"Give her hell from us, Peeves." And surprisingly, he swept off his hat and saluted.

And they flew out the doors, into the sky as we all applauded and cheered.

* * *

><p><em><strong>126<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Any idea where he's taking us?" Ron asked, stumbling behind Hermione as we trudged through the Forbidden Forest. It was dark and dingy, and reminded me all too well of years past – Voldemort, spiders, werewolves – _hell,_there'd been dragons here last year! And they were the most harmless of the bunch.

"Hagrid, why can't you just tell us?" Harry asked, glancing back at the rest of us behind him while pointedly avoiding eye contact.

He stopped for a moment, as though he was considering taking Harry's advice, but as the sound of hooves and shouting came into earshot, we realized that wasn't his intention. It wasn't long before we saw the centaurs, shouting and yelling and basically stampeding through the forest. Ron turned to give me a worried look, one that said – _dear__lord,__why__can__'__t__we__ever__go__somewhere__normal?_

"I've never seen the centaurs so roiled!" Hagrid gasped, watching them as they fled by.

"Umbridge probably tried to evict them," I rolled my eyes, hoping they stormed right over the old hag. That would simply make my week.

"They're dangerous at the best of times," Hagrid warned, still glancing back as the creatures stormed off. "If the Ministry restricts their territory much more, they're gonna have a full uprising on their hands."

"Hagrid," Hermione insisted, looking as worried as I felt. "What's going _on_?"

"I'm sorry to be so mysterious," He sighed, wringing his fingers together nervously. "I wouldn't be bothering you at all, but…with Dumbledore gone…" He frowned, looking back out into the forest before taking a deep breath. "I'll…likely be getting the sack any day now…"

I glanced at Ron sadly, biting my lip and wanting nothing more than to give the half-giant a hug. The look on his face was heartbreaking.

"And I just _couldn__'__t_ leave without telling someone about him."

_Wait__ – __WHAT?_

"Wha – _who_?" I could say little else, as my attention was then caught by a rumbling in the ground. In front of us, not fifty feet away, a large – _very__large_ – boulder was…standing up?

"Grawpy!" Hagrid called, rubbing his hands together and glancing back at us every few moments. Our expressions didn't change much, all thing considered. There were only so many faces you could make with a _giant_ staring down at you like you were a play-thing.

"Oh…dear…_god_…"

* * *

><p>"Wow…" I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "Hagrid's hiding his half-brother giant guy in the Forest, the centaurs are having a fit, Fred and George managed to escape this hellhole and there's a swamp in the hallway. Is shit like this going to happen <em>every<em>_ – __bloody__ – __year_?"

"The whole school's gone whacky." Ron stated, looking over his shoulder at us as Harry led us up the stairs. "Everything's going to hell and the Ministry wants to pretend nothing's wrong."

"I hate politics," I grumbled as I rolled my eyes. Grunts of agreement met my ears as we reached the portrait and entered the Common Room without a word. What could be said now, after everything, to make anyone feel better? And with Harry's declaration of independence on the bridge…well, the right words seemed to be playing a deadly game of hide and seek.

I scratched at my arm, wishing Alyssa was there to listen to me complain. Things used to be so much simpler…now I barely saw her. I barely saw her and for some unfathomable reason, another wizarding war wasn't a good enough excuse for me.

_ In__the__morning,_ I told myself, _In__the__morning__I__'__ll__find__her__and__Malfoy__be__damned,__she__'__s__coming__with__me._

"Are you ok?"

"Y-yeah," I stuttered instinctively, pulling my hand out of my sleeve to see Harry standing in front of me, looking reluctant to be there. "Why? Are…you?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah…" He answered, nodding as I bit my lip. "Well…" He pursed his lips, staring me in the eye. "No…no, not really."

I frowned as he sighed. I wondered why, after what he'd said about going in alone, he was confiding in me, of all people.

"What's wrong?" I asked, leaning back against the wall beside the chess table. He opened his mouth to speak, but it took a few moments for the words to come out.

"That vision…with Mr. Weasley, the – the dream."

"What about it?"

"I've…Dumbledore thought that…that my mind and Voldemort's have a connection; that there's a _link_ between them. I've been taking lessons…Occlumency lessons with Snape."

"Occlumency?" I gaped, "With _Snape_? Connections, links…" Is that why he'd been distant? Is that why he wanted to be alone; because Voldemort could read his mind?

"He's teaching me how to block him out; to protect my thoughts from him." Harry explained, taking a deep breath. "It's…stressful, to say the least. Hurts, almost…I didn't want to worry you."

"Well you did," I whispered, standing up straight again. "I know this is hard for you; you don't have to hide it. It's not a burden you should bear on your own. It's not a burden you _can_ bear on your own." I grabbed his upper arm, gripping it firmly in a way I hoped he would perceive as comforting. "You have friends, Harry; we're here because we want to be. We want to help."

He threaded his fingers through a strand of my hair, no longer looking me in the eye. I lifted my other hand to his cheek, and leaned my forehead against his, feeling his breath, slow and steady on my lips.

"You have to let us."

"What if I can't do it?" He asked quietly, sounding as scared as I felt. "What if I can't block him out? What if he…_corrupts_ my mind? I – I talked to Sirius about it, and he said we've all got good and evil inside and that it's which part we act on that makes us who we are and that I should – "

I let go of his arm and put a finger to his lips, a smile on my own.

"Sirius," I hushed, "Is a _very_ smart man."

I took the smile that mirrored mine as a good way to end the conversation.


	23. Chapter 23

_**AN: **_**Wow, I know there is no excuse for this being so unbelievably, ridiculously late. I can say sorry a billion times, but what I really want to say is thank you to anyone still even a tiny bit interested in this story! We have determined that there will be 134 chapters altogether. That means that after this update, there will be only two chapters left! Enjoy. :)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>127<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

By the time I realized that it was May and the last Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw was coming up, it was all over the school that Draco and I were dating, and that I was obviously the new bitch other girls had to go through to get to him.

Of course, my only _real_competition were girls that threw themselves at him with pounds of makeup and slept with everyone, so I not only felt fairly stable, I felt _bad_for my competition and wished I had more of a challenge.

Taylor and I were spending less time with each other, and it was with much surprise one evening that while Draco and I were at the Lake playing music, that Taylor showed up.

"This is a good song. What's it called?" Draco took the iPod from my hand, and looked at the title.

"It's called _Jet Lag _by Simple Plan and Natasha Bedingfield."

I frowned, and turned around to see Taylor standing behind me. Drake hadn't noticed because he was zooming around in my iPod and I hadn't even heard her come up.

"Excellent ears. What are you doing here?"

"I think it's my turn to hang out with you, if ferretboy would be kind enough to move out."

"We're busy right now-"

"Oh, I'm sure you are, Malfoy, but that's just too bad. She's coming with me." Taylor narrowed her eyes, looking down at him.

He stared her down for a few seconds, but I stood up. "Drake, I haven't seen her in a little while. Just for tonight. Alright?"

"Whatever. See you around." He got up, and taking his guitar with him, walked off.

I sighed, and turned to Taylor. "Great. He's gone off to sulk. That'll cost me later, I hope you know."

She smirked. "That's too bad, you're stuck with me."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "You could have tried to be a little nicer about it."

"I'm not gonna be nice to him if he's going to act like he owns the whole bloody school."

"Whatever. What did you have in mind for tonight?"

"I was thinking we'd go to the Pitch."

* * *

><p>By 'going to the Pitch', Taylor meant she wanted to practice for the game between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw in a couple days.<p>

"Why practice? You'll destroy them as it is."

"It always helps to be prepared." She paused, and grinned before going to open her mouth again.

"Don't even _think _about going into song."

She shut her mouth again and frowned. "You know me too well."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day flew by fairly quickly, and as the game was on a Saturday, we could do whatever the hell we wanted, because it was the weekend.<p>

Draco was found sulking on the couch with Pansy, Zambini, Crabbe and Goyle. He decided to be icy towards me, so I brushed him off and chose to visit the Owlery before curfew.

* * *

><p>It was comforting sometimes, to go up to the Owlery and listen to the owls hoot and chatter. Some would wake up and fly out to catch a meal, and I always thought that an owl flying away was fascinating.<p>

As daft a thought it was, I loved to be up in the air. I wanted to be able to just get up and fly away, whenever I wanted. And now that I was in Quidditch, that had almost become a reality. I adored the freedom to do what I wanted in the air, to feel the wind rushing through my hair and breathing in deeply.

As I stood at the window and leaned on the banister, I allowed my mind to roam and my eyes to wander. The sky was darkening, and I could see the moon rising over the tree tops of the Forbidden Forest.

And I frowned deeply. As I looked carefully, it appeared that several trees were moving, whilst their neighbours remained calm. They were shaking rather roughly, and I was mystified by what was causing it.

I happened to look down at my watch, and unwillingly admitted that I needed to get to bed. Filch would be prowling the corridor and I had to go all the way to the Dungeons.

* * *

><p>"Come on, Taylor! Knock him off his bloody broom!" The next morning, the whole school was down at the Pitch, watching the game between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. It was going well for Taylor; She was shooting the Bludgers left and right, her aim almost always dead on.<p>

Draco and I were back to talking. It wasn't like we'd had a major fight, and even though he was good for holding grudges, especially when his ego or dignity was affected, he had the habit of forgetting and getting over whatever had happened, with exceptions.

"I don't even know why I'm here." He muttered beside me. He looked extremely unhappy with the fact that he wasn't playing, and that he hated both teams. He looked like he would rather support a walrus.

"Drake, let's just go back to the castle." Pansy had tagged along, unfortunately. She was like a wart that just didn't go away. And fitting that description was, as she had the personality and the looks of a wart as well.

"Hey, Pansy, mind taking your claws off of _my_boyfriend? Last time I checked, you were a man stealing whore who has no idea how to properly use makeup. And uh… Yep, still looks like you are." Pansy looked absolutely outraged.

"Calm down, I've got it…" Draco looked at me with an eyebrow cocked, giving me the 'you-are-insane-because-I-say-so' look. Than he shifted his gaze to Pansy, and she wilted under whatever glare he was shooting her.

Damn, if looks could kill, this boy would be the reason everyone dropped dead.

I silently thanked the Lord for Draco being on my side for that, and turned my attention back to the game.

Ravenclaw was losing by 50 points, with the score being 120-70 for Gryffindor. Yet even though Gryffindor was kicking ass, if Ravenclaw caught the Snitch…

Because Harry had been kicked off, Ginny was the new Seeker. As much as I knew they wouldn't put her on if she sucked, I didn't have much faith in her as I did for Harry. He was good. Too good. It was hard for Slytherin to win when we had _him_to go up against.

Within ten minutes, Gryffindor had managed to score another two goals, and Ravenclaw one. With the score now at 140-80, time was passing slowly and people-namely most of the Slytherins- just wanted the game to end. Even with Gryffindor doing so well, I was getting bored and wanted to get this over with.

And, as if on cue, Lee Jordan yelled in to his magical microphone.

"_Gryffindor Seeker Ginny Weasley seems to have spotted the Snitch! She's diving now, and Ravenclaw Cho Chang is following closely behind!"_

I looked for the bright red head of hair, and found it plummeting to the ground, arm outstretched towards the golden glint flying just ahead. Cho's hair was flying back like a cape caught in the wind, blowing away from her face roughly and up behind her.

The stadium seemed to roar with the screams of the students, until finally…

"_And Gryffindor catches the Snitch! The score finishes with 290-80, and it's all over! Gryffindor wins the Cup!"_

I was cheering and clapping. Several Slytherins didn't even attempt to raise their hands. It only meant that they accepted the fact that Slytherin had lost the Cup.

At that point, I didn't care. Taylor and Ginny and Ron and all the Gryffindors had won the Quidditch Cup, which meant they'd be throwing a party, which meant that I was going to sneak into the Common Room for a piece of that action.

No way was I missing out on it.

The students began filing out of the stands, and I followed to make my way to the Pitch, to go congratulate the team.

* * *

><p><em><strong>128<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"You know? Winning the game was good enough for me. I don't need exams; I'll handle being a drop-out – it's ok, really." I assured casually, refusing to descend from my tree simply for the sake of academics.

"You know, it's really not ok." Hermione responded, crossing her arms disapprovingly. "You need to pass your OWLs Taylor, and if I'm correct, your father will be highly disappointed if you throw away all of your potential now because you're afraid of an exam."

"I am not _afraid!_" I argued, gasping. "I'm simply nervous and mildly delusional in believing that I can do well enough for myself despite not finishing school."

"Taylor!"

"Hermione!"

"Taylor?"

"AH!" The hand on my shoulder sent me clutching at the trunk of the tree, turning my head to glare angrily at who'd managed to sneak up on the branch behind me.

"You should really take the exams." Alyssa nodded, watching me with a twinge of amusement in her eyes.

"I don't want to." I stated stubbornly.

"Neither do I," She agreed. "But I'm taking them."

"So?"

"So?" She laughed, her lips cracking into a grin. "So, that'll make me – yes, believe it or not – better than you."

"What?" I cocked an eyebrow, watching her cautiously.

"Just think! You want that Auror position? Guess what, it's mine. Why? Because I finished school – and I'm ten-times more qualified than you are."

"I don't want to be an Auror." I announced defiantly, noting Hermione growing impatience on the ground.

"Ok then, how about the opening for beater on your favourite team? It's mine too."

"You don't play beater." I scoffed, narrowing my eyes. But…

"But you didn't finish school. Do you even qualify for try-outs? I do."

Oh hell. What if she did do better than me – she was already smarter, I knew (except in Potions) – but if she stole my position…_oh hell_.

"Mmmm…" I grumbled reluctantly, letting go of the tree and sneering at my friend. "Stupid persuasion techniques…stupid exams…stupid school…"

"Do you really have to finish school in order to try out?" Hermione asked once we'd reached the ground, Alyssa's hand attached firmly to my wrist.

"I dunno," She shrugged, throwing me a smirk that all but shouted my defeat.

"_Stupid friends_."

* * *

><p>Just minutes into the exams, I knew I should have let Alyssa steal my job. What good was Quidditch if I died during OWLs?<p>

I looked up from my parchment as I scratched my arm against the corner of the desk. I caught a glimpse of Harry a few desks away from me, but his demeanour suggested he was stressing about more than the test sitting in front of him.

If it weren't for the strict 'no speaking' rule and the gargoyle breathing down my neck, I would have asked him about it. However, since both restrictions were in place, I resigned to file the sight away for questioning at a later date. A quickly approaching later date, if I had it my way.

"Eyes on _your own_ paper, Miss Brooks." I glanced up at the old hag hovering above me and sighed, rolling my eyes whilst earning a rather irritated scowl.

"Yes _Ma'am_." As my quill returned to my paper, I couldn't help but sense the rising agitation in Harry's posture. He was restless, running his fingers through his hair, shutting his eyes tight as though he was trying to force an unrelenting thought from his mind. What could be bothering his so intensely?

A part of me wished I'd never found out.

* * *

><p>"Remind me again why we're sneaking into Umbridge's office?" Ron demanded, disbelief still lacing itself into his words. "Because I still don't quite understand how a daydream forced us here."<p>

"It wasn't a daydream," Harry responded, climbing the stairs hastily. "It was a vision; Sirius is in trouble – I _need _to contact him."

"Umbridge and the Ministry have blocked access to all fireplaces except for hers." Hermione explained, "It's the only one we can use to talk to Sirius."

"So…what? We left Neville and Luna to deal with Umbridge and the Inquisitorial Squad? _That's_ bloody brilliant." Ron replied sarcastically, "Maybe they'll be able to convince her to kill us right away, instead of torturing us first."

"Ginny's down there with them; so is Taylor. That'll buy us some time." Hermione reassured, stopping as Harry reached the large wooden door that marked the entrance to Umbridge's furry pink dungeon.

"Yeah, and maybe we'll all get mauled to death by those god awful plates."

The persistent meowing grew incredibly irritating in an incredibly short amount of time; and in that time, Harry had managed to cross the room, kneel down and mutter something quietly to the coals of the fireplace.

When he received no answer, his stance tightened, his muscles tensed, and he prayed for any sort of affirmation that his godfather was safe.

The few short seconds felt like hours, but when the door swung open – crashing into the walls to which they were hinged – it had been all too soon.

The trio watched in muted horror as Umbridge and her wretched team of ingrates filed into the room, a look of disgusting arrogance on their faces.

Crabbe marched in with a firm hold on Ginny's upper arm, looking as though his fingers would break before he let go. Another boy, whose name escaped Harry now, had Luna's wrists in both hands.

Neville was restrained by Goyle and a girl who looked like she wished she was Pansy Parkinson, and Draco Malfoy himself held onto his captive with the help of another nameless face.

Taylor sneered dangerously, spitting blood at Umbridge's shoes as she shook the hair from her face. Her lower lip bled slowly, and her arms looked bruised, but in comparison, Malfoy and his partner looked far worse. The skin around Malfoy's eye was painfully bruised, black and purple swirling around like a drop of poison in a glass. The other boy's nose was bent far out of shape, and his jaw looked as equally worse for ware. Yet they continued looking triumphant, as they their war wounds only exemplified their victory.

Yet it took both of them to hold down a girl whom they claimed only hyped up her own strength? That small fact was one Harry found himself taking great pride in.

As Umbridge scowled at Taylor however, the majority of the attention in the room was drawn to the door, as the last remaining 'Squaddie' brought in his prisoner. Hermione noticed Malfoy's expression grow dark; not disappointment or anger, but certainly not indifference.

The last offending student snapped angrily as the boy pushed her through the door, and refused to look in Malfoy's direction as Umbridge began pacing the room, uttering blasphemous nonsense about incriminating Sirius Black.

The boy holding onto her was constantly glancing at Malfoy, as though worried that any mishandling would get him killed. And it likely would have, all things considered.

All that Harry could think of however, was that Malfoy's own girlfriend would rather be held hostage than play Umbridge's game. If there was ever any reason to wonder why Taylor and Alyssa were friends, this was not one of them.

And judging by the sense of pride in Taylor's eyes, she thought so too.


	24. Chapter 24

_**129**_

_**Alyssa**_

The DADA exam was horrible. I was sure that even though I did enjoy reading, Umbridge's method to teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts was a _completely_idiotic one. To have students do the work through reading _only_had been a bad call; even the most intelligent people would be barely passing this OWL.

After the exam was over and papers were collected, I stood up, stretched my legs, and began to look for Tay. A difficult task, for everyone else was standing and looking for friends to compare answers and comments with.

A chance movement gave me a glance at the door to the Great Hall, and I saw Taylor with Harry. They seemed tense, and they walked out the door.

I followed, thinking that Taylor was probably just tense because she had bombed her exam.

It took me a while, but I finally did find Taylor pacing in the hall outside of Umbridge's office.

"Don't go down there, it's full of- oh, it's you." Taylor frowned.

"You don't sound too excited to see me."

She chewed her lip, thinking. "Do you trust me?"

This question worried me.

"What are you planning...?" I narrowed my eyebrows.

"I can't tell you. Not right now. If you trust me, I need you to help me keep students out of this hallway. Tell them that someone put a stench bomb or something down here and it stinks like bloody hell."

I sighed. "If this gets me into shit, I'm blaming you."

She didn't even crack a smile. "Ginny and Neville are at one end of the hall; Luna's just around the corner. I'm keeping watch. Can you watch over with Luna?"

"Yeah, alright..." I left her, and went around the corner. I had been expecting Luna to be standing there, but she was absent. I thought she might be in the washroom, so I shrugged it off.

Two minutes later, I thought I heard Taylor arguing. I frowned. I went back around the corner.

"Back off, Ferret boy, unless you want to get a black eye."

"You've no business telling me what to do, Brooks! And besides, you look _awfully_suspicious standing here in front of Professor Umbridge's office."

Draco was arguing with Taylor.

_I can't get a break..._ I thought, sighing exasperatedly. I rounded the corner, and saw that Taylor looked worried underneath her mask of anger.

"What's going on here?"

Draco chose that moment to notice that I was standing there.

"Alyssa?"

And Taylor chose that moment to use his distracted stance as an advantage. She punched him, making him stumble back.

"TAYLOR!"

Draco made a comeback, slapping her across the face.

"ENOUGH!" I intervened, pushing them apart.

"What is your problem?" I rounded on both of them.

As I spoke, several other members from the Inquisitorial Squad came running around the corner, and grabbed Taylor. Draco grabbed one arm, and someone grabbed the other.

"Wait for me outside Umbridge's office." Draco told the members, and they dragged her off.

"No! Taylor!" I ran after her, but Draco grabbed my arm.

"She was helping Potter."

"You slapped her!"

"In my defence, she started it."

"You just handed her off to Umbridge! How could you?"

"Alyssa, listen to me. She was helping Potter make suspected contact with Dumbledore. Using Umbridge's office. She needs to be punished."

"No! She didn't!"

"ALYSSA, there's nothing you can do now. Go back to the Common Room. Don't stop and talk to anyone. You _weren't_involved. I have to see Umbridge."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes, you are. You don't need any more trouble than you've already got."

He let go of me, and walked off.

I swore. This was somehow his fault. I had to go help Taylor.

But Draco was right. I didn't need trouble. I couldn't help her. Not without getting her into worse trouble.

I turned to go back to the Common Room, and came face to face with Theodore Nott. Another member of the Inquisitorial Squad.

"Well, well, well. Someone's in a lot of trouble."

* * *

><p>And so here we are. Standing in Umbridge's office, with Taylor under guard by Draco and some other dude, Neville was restrained by Goyle, Crabbe had Ginny, and Theodore, unfortunately, had me. He wasn't gripping me too tight; my guess was that Draco was right there and Theodore was afraid of getting punched.<p>

Umbridge was pacing the room directly in front of Harry, and she was pissed.

"So you thought you could get away with using my fireplace to make contact to Dumbledore? Did you think I was naive to your doings? That I wouldn't place Detecting Charms in here?"

"We needed to contact him. To tell him that the weapon is ready." Hermione said through a sob.

I frowned. Weapon? What had Taylor been up to?

"You're lying, girl."

"No! If you don't believe me, Harry and I can take you to it."

Umbridge seemed to consider this.

"Yes, alright," She said, gripping her wand tightly. "But if you're lying, there'll be severe consequences."

"I'm telling the truth, why would I lie?"

Umbridge turned to look at her goons.

"Stay here. Don't let them go."

And with that, Umbridge, Hermione and Harry were gone.

It seemed deathly quiet in Umbridge's office. I was wondering how the hell we were going to get out of this predicament.

"I need to pee."

This was Taylor's outburst. Obviously.

"That's too bad, isn't it?" Draco's partner had a smug smirk on her face.

"What, we can't have a bathroom break? That seems only fair, we are your prisoners after all." I spoke up, and Draco sent a quick glare my way that told me to shut up.

As I mirrored his glare, Theodore gripped my arms a little tighter, but released his grip just as quickly, afraid that Draco would kick his ass.

I exchanged a look with Taylor while Draco was looking at Crabbe, and within that moment we knew how we'd get out of here.

I cleared my throat. "I don't think this is particularly fair. I'm a Slytherin, why am I being treated like a Gryffindork?"

Theodore's fingers twitched.

"I mean," I continued," If I'm a Slytherin, I should be working _with _you, not against you. And I wasn't even doing anything down there, just checking things out-"

"_Shut up."_Draco nearly snarled, and I pursed my lips briefly before speaking again.

"No."

He was taken aback, and it gave Taylor enough time to catch him by surprise and break his grip. He was in the process of drawing his wand when he got punched -again- and his partner unfroze and actually tried to help him.

I stomped on Theodore's foot, and heard him yelp in pain as he let go of me and I got him into a choke hold from behind.

"If you would so _kindly_give me your wand," I whispered into his ear menacingly, and he snarled. I tightened my grip on him, and his wand clattered to the floor as he gasped for air.

"_Thank_you," I grinned maliciously, stooping to pick it up and hexed him into a full body bind. At this point, the room was in utter chaos. Taylor was busy fighting Draco and the chick, Neville was dodging spells, and all the others were just trying their best to win.

One by one, I helped drop the 'guards', until they were on the ground and Draco was left.

He narrowed his eyes.

"You wouldn't," he whispered, challenging me.

"You slapped Taylor. I have every right."

"She punched me! I was only retaliating!"

"Hey, I'm still here, in case you were wondering." Taylor cocked an eyebrow, crossing her arms and holding the wand she'd stolen from his friend. I turned to look at her.

"Shall I? Or would you like the honours?" I offered her the chance, and she grinned maliciously.

On my part, it was a rookie mistake, offering her the chance to horribly disfigure my boyfriend.

"_With pleasure."_And a second later, Draco was hanging by his ankle in the air, upside down, and than he crashed to the floor, where Taylor stomped on his nose and Stunned him.

"That was me being _nice_," She smirked in his face, and took his wand, putting it in her pocket.

As we looked around at the carnage we'd made, our guards groaned on the floor.

"Well, now that that's taken care of… Why don't we go see what else we can destroy or maim." Taylor laughed, and I winked.

"After you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>130<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Why, in the name of Gandalf the Gray, are we standing in the middle of an empty clearing?" Alyssa groaned, glancing around nervously as though she expected Umbridge to come blaring through the forest, despite her painfully obvious inability to do so. The centaurs had certainly done a number on her, after she so blatantly slandered them and everything they stood for. Informing half-breeds that they are inexplicably useless and a stain on the population, doesn't generally breed rainbows and unicorns.

Oh, add that to the list of things I'd _never_ seen in the Forbidden Forest; rainbows.

"Who's Gandalf?"

"_Not_ the point, Ron."

"It's _not_ empty, either." I informed the both of them, watching as Harry steadily approached a rather calm looking thestral. "And it's actually Gandalf the _White, _now."

"Leave it to Taylor to correct my obscure references. Thanks for that." Alyssa sighed, following Harry cautiously. "It's those horse things you were raving about, isn't it? The ones pulling the carriages?"

"I was not _raving_," I gasped, "I was ranting obsessively. And yes, it's the thestrals. They have wings."

"Wings mean they can fly." Harry added, stroking one gingerly as Alyssa hovered behind him, watching his hand pet the air. The thestral kneaded the ground and swung its head around to look at him, before he turned to the rest of the group.

"Taylor, Luna, help the others climb up. I think we found our way to the Ministry." He told us, the look of determination in his eyes washing away any doubt I had in my mind.

The thestrals looked safe enough. Or, safe compared to what we were about to do, anyway. Then again, I could _see _them. The same could not be said for Alyssa, Ron, Hermione, Neville or Ginny.

Two of them in particular would continue to remind us of such. _The entire way there_.

* * *

><p>"What are we looking for?" I asked, still not quite sure if we were hoping to find Sirius here, or not. There were rows upon rows; aisles upon aisles of strange, seemingly harmless artefacts. We knew better than that, of course; if Voldemort had brought us here, it wasn't to look at shiny snow-globes. The orbs were sketchy, to say the least. Who knew what they were, or what they could be used for.<p>

"Sirius," Harry confirmed, "Or any sign that he's been here. This is where the vision was; there's got to be _something_."

We scanned the shelves, each of us glancing over our shoulders often enough to look like we should be on some sort of anti-anxiety drug. After everything it took to get here, I was surprised my heart hadn't burst against my ribs yet.

"Is anyone else utterly spooked?" Alyssa inquired, looking less than pleased as she passed by me, her shoulders tense as she ran her fingers along the wood.

"Aye, aye." I assured, pursing my lips as I followed behind her, catching a glimpse of Hermione a few feat away. "It'd be better if there were some decent bloody lights in here."

After the words left my lips, they were quickly followed by a brash scream that sounded more like a yelp than anything. A blast of magic slammed unexpectedly into the wooden shelving to my right, splitting the wood and sending a dozen orbs crashing to the ground. I didn't stick around to see if they shattered or not, turning and running full tilt in the opposite direction until I found Hermione.

"That was _not_ the kind of light I meant." I panted, looking over my shoulder to see if I could discern who'd either attacked me, or played a very cruel – very revenge worthy – trick.

"What happened?" Hermione demanded, scouring the area behind me. I furrowed my brow and shook my head, still not really sure what had happened.

"I…I don't know. Somebody attacked me? Or something…I…" She shifted her gaze then to my eyes, and she looked scared, more scared than she did a second ago. That in itself was scary. What she said next was terrifying.

"Run."

I realized then – as we dashed through the aisles trying to find everybody – that I'd been doing a lot of running since I arrived at Hogwarts five years ago. Running from giant three-headed dogs, giant spiders, giant snakes, werewolves, giants in general…and then the occasional teacher.

What was scary about this time, was that I didn't know _what_ I was running from. Nothing giant, I was sure, and not likely a werewolf, but what then?

We sprinted around a corner, finding Neville and Luna looking around desperately for any sign of life besides them. They caught sight of us, and quickly followed as we kept running.

"What's going on?" Neville asked, his voice shaking as he tried to stop himself from glancing back.

"Death Eaters," Hermione answered briskly, her breath coming in short huffs.

Oh. I'd forgotten the Death Eaters in my list of things I'd run from.

_Oh_.

_Oh f*ck_.

"Hermione!"

We stopped abruptly, nearly crashing into each other as Hermione looked for the source of the voice. She found Ron far down the row to her left, and we changed directions to meet up with him, Harry, Alyssa and Ginny.

No sooner had Harry grabbed my hand, had the faces emerged. Those creepy, twisted masks surrounded us, and the gruesome laughter soon followed. It was by fluke that I noticed two Death Eaters _not_ vibrating with laughter, their bodies motionless and their chests only rising with steady, strained breaths.

_This isn't good. This is so not good. This is so unbelievably not good. _

It had been a trap, we all knew now. Sirius wasn't here; he never had been. Did that mean Voldemort had manipulated Harry's mind? Did it matter at this point?

My mind was spinning, bustling with questions and fears and wishes. Like, why the hell were there two Death Eaters _not_ laughing at our discomfort? And 'oh my god, this is where I die'. And, of course, I _wish_ I could go back to Tonka Trucks and Legos.

Everything was so much simpler when it was just Tonka Trucks and Legos.


	25. Chapter 25

_**131**_

_**Alyssa**_

We were surrounded.

Surrounded by Death Eaters.

When I woke up this morning, I didn't plan on having this on my 'to do' list.

"Ickle baby Potter." The mimicked baby voice came from somewhere at the back, high and female. It was taunting.

"Where's Sirius?"

"Ooh, ickle baby Potter wants his Godfather."

I tried to find the voice among the crowd of back cloaks around us, but it seemed as if the voice was coming from everywhere. I noticed there were two Death Eaters not participating in the point-your-wand-at-the-teenagers. They weren't panting with exertion or anything, just… Standing there. Staring.

At least, I think they were staring. Those masks made it hard to tell.

"Potter, it's time you realize the difference between _reality_and _dreams_," A familiar voice said, and with a pull of his mask, he revealed himself as Draco's father.

"Where's Sirius?"

_"Where's Sirius?"_The woman mocked.

"Give me the Prophecy, Potter, and I'll tell you where your Godfather is." Lucius leered, outstretching his hand for what I now noticed was in Harry's clenched hand; a round orb, with what appeared to be swirling silver mist entrapped inside. A plaque was at the bottom, but I couldn't make out what it said.

"Even if I gave it to you, you'd kill us anyways."

"Not you, you're to be saved for the Dark Lord. You're too important to kill. Your friends are worthless to him, however. He sees no need to save them. Now, _the Prophecy._"

"Not until you tell me what kind of prophecy we're dealing with." As Harry said this, I noticed his foot seemed to glide slowly backwards, until it touched Hermione's. It was then I realized that Harry didn't intend to give this-Prophecy-to the Death Eaters at all. He was stalling for time, making sure we were all on the same page.

I knew my suspicions were right, when Luna stealthily whispered to me Harry's plan.

"…Dark Lord knows you are not unintelligent-"

"NOW!" Harry roared, and at once, we all cried, 'REDUCTO!', bringing down shelves and other orbs, smashing everything. As the Death Eaters ducked, we ran for it, sending more spells at the shelves. I covered my head quickly, feeling something heavy hit me on the arm and no doubt leaving an angry bruise.

We made it to the end, and raced past the aisles, hearing shouts and seeing the jets of red and green soar above our heads, sometimes inches away from hitting us. By the time we made it back to the circular spinning room, we had just seconds before Hermione slammed the door and gasped, 'Colloportus!'. The door made a weird sound, like jelly hitting a solid. A force hit the door, and we heard Lucius give orders to split up before the room began to spin.

"Harry, where are the others?" Hermione asked unsurely.

A sinking feeling settled in my stomach.

"We… we must have gotten separated…" At that moment, it was only Harry, Hermione, Neville and I. Which meant that Taylor, Ron, Luna and Ginny were somewhere in this huge-ass Department.

The room stopped, and Harry opened the door in front of us, checking for Death Eaters. We were in the room with the freaky egg-thing. Hermione turned and magically locked the door the same way she had before. I judged we only had a few minutes before more Death Eaters found us-

"This one's locked."

"_Ugh,_move aside. _Alohamora!_"

We quickly dived under the desks as the door slammed open. There was silence, other than our hard breathing, and we heard someone say, "Check the desks."

My heart was beating right out of my chest. I gripped my wand tightly. The shuffle of feet grew closer, and as they stopped right at the desk I was under, I pointed and yelled, "Stupefy!" Not expecting the spell, the person toppled over and the other Death Eater turned immediately at the noise.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry shouted. The Death Eater deflected the spell. I went to his aid, as Neville and Hermione did the same. Our combined efforts forced him back, and he fell to the egg in the jar. Expecting the jar to break, I was surprised when his head merely passed through, and started _changing into a baby's head._

"That's bloody freaky." I muttered, following Hermione and the others to the next room, where we were met by another group of Death Eaters. Before we could get a chance to attack them, they shouted, "IMPEDIMENTA!", and we all went flying backwards.

The last thing I remembered were flying, hitting a wall, seeing stars, and thinking that there was irony to be found in this situation before blacking out.

* * *

><p><em>Music playing… Piano… Maybe Beethoven… Cameras flashing… People sitting in a crowd…<em>

_A storm… Lightning flashing… Thunder roaring… Rain pattering against the window… Dog whining…_

_A dark room… People dressed in black… Hiding behind wall… Daddy doesn't know I'm here…_

"Wake up."

_Alarm clock buzzing… Annoyance rising… Head throbbing…_

_Glasses…_

"Miss Anaya, you need to wake up."

_Throbbing quickly changing into pounding…_

I groaned, and my eyes slowly opened. An old, aged face filled my view, and I forgot momentarily where I was.

"Dumbledore…?"

"Good. Now that you're awake, I have some business to attend to." With that, he was gone. I grabbed my head, and slowly rose to my feet, feeling unsteady. Everything came back to me, and I swore.

_Which way to go…!_

I took a chance, and followed the hallway straight down, running at full speed and terrified that something had happened.

Upon hearing shouting, I opened a door, and saw that everyone was fighting down in the pit with the weird veiled archway. Several were already knocked out, and I saw that Harry and Neville were struggling up the stairs. At the same time, I saw the Prophecy fall out of Harry's hand, and get kicked by Neville's flying legs. It smashed to the floor.

A figure rose from the broken glass, and it seemed to mouth something, but its voice was lost in the battle.

Nearby, Dumbledore had engaged what appeared to be Dolohov and Lucius at once. It amazed me how well he could handle a wand.

The fighting was being wrapped up; they didn't really need me. But there was one fight that seemed to have no ending to; one between Bellatrix and _Sirius,_the reason we had come to the Ministry. A roaring laughter filled the room, and I realized it was from Sirius.

"You can do better than that!" He yelled, and was hit with a red jet of light. He seemed to fall like through Jell-O, until he just disappeared through the archway.

Harry had been watching also. And he was running down to the ground, but Lupin was stopping him.

I waited for Sirius to come back out, to continue the fight and just kill Bellatrix. But he never did. And that didn't make sense to me, there was nowhere for him to hide. He should've been _right there…_

* * *

><p>It wasn't the worst thing that happened. After the Death Eaters had been rounded up in the centre of the room, Dumbledore was unmasking each of them.<p>

One after another was revealed; Crabbe's father, Mulciber, McNabb, Rookwood. All Death Eaters.

Only two were remaining. Dumbledore pulled the mask off the first person, and then the second.

Shouts seemed to echo through the room, and I realized they were my own. I sunk to the floor, realizing my fears had been true. That I had been right.

I didn't want to be right anymore. I wanted everything to go back to the way they were when I was a little girl.

But now everything made sense, and I hated that.

Because, in front of everyone, were the two people I had least suspected to be under those masks;

My mother and father.

* * *

><p><em><strong>132<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Shit – _shit – __**shit**_!" I yelled, pumping my arms in a vain attempt to outrun the Death Eaters. Harry, Alyssa, Hermione and Neville had taken a different turn somewhere back, leaving the rest of us to hightail in it whichever direction would allow us a swifter escape. There were no doors in sight for us to hide behind, only rows upon rows of orbs soon to be obliterated by the destructive rage of the murders at our heels.

"We have to find somewhere to hide! Something to throw them off!" Ginny shouted up to me, her voice strained and clouded by her heavy breaths. Ron voiced his agreement and Luna eerily quiet – not a single nargal accusation.

"There's nowhere _to_ hide!" I responded, desperate to be proven wrong. There had to be somewhere – anywhere. There was no way we could simply run in zigzags and throw curses over our shoulders in hopes they would grow tiresome and give up.

We were running out of energy, and fast. We turned a sharp corner, taking the perpendicular aisle. As the Ron made clear of the edge, Luna mumbled to herself, pointing her wand in the direction of the Death Eaters who had yet to reach the turnoff. The shelves all around the corner exploded, falling on top of each other with the sound of cracking wood and shattering glass. The most direct pathway to us had been hopelessly choked-up, with the only viable option being to backtrack and go all the way around.

The aisles themselves were like a maze – we could gain a considerable lead – even lose them.

We were lucky, for a short while. We finally found a door, quickly slamming it behind us. We scoured the large room as Ginny set up every protective ward she knew. There was little to be seen; a desk and a few bookshelves. Nothing substantial.

"Will those hold?" Ron asked, as I thanked Luna for her car wreck of a blockage.

"I don't know." Ginny panted, running a hand through her hair to pull it away from her face.

"You don't know?" He demanded, eyes wide. His fear was evident; I wondered if my expression was so discernable.

"I'm not Hermione, Ronald!" Ginny shot back, frowning as she walked away from the door. My arm was burning, itching like mad and I was fairly sure my lip was bleeding. I could taste the blood on my teeth.

"We need to figure out what we're going to do." Luna asserted quietly, suggesting that, perhaps, speaking _loudly_ wasn't the best hiding method. "This was obviously a trap – we need to discuss how not to get caught."

"We need to find the others." I added, "And quickly, if possible." We were silent for a moment, and the sound of heavy footsteps echoed loudly in the halls. They were close – we knew it. I walked quietly to the door, trying to hear and determine how much time we had.

Not much was the heart-stopping answer.

I heard them try to open the door, and then I heard them shout as though their voices alone would unlock it. Panic took over, and I turned around desperately.

"Get away from the door!" I yelled, watching as the panic spread visibly to everyone else's faces. Time seemed to slow as everyone ran to the far side of the room. I heard the door not only unlock, but also the recognizable cracking of the wood as splinters the size of my arm were sent flying.

I knew I was still too close when I felt the skin on my right side tear like paper. The shard of wood continued on its path, hitting the floor in front of me as I tumbled to the floor, my balance shaken. I could feel the tiny slivers left behind in my flesh as I moved to get up again, my head spinning.

I didn't bother to look at the gash above my hip, I knew there was blood – no sense in wasting time confirming what I already knew. The adrenaline dulled the pain, and I was fairly certain that it was more of a graze anyway. I stumbled my way to the back of the room to join the others as the Death Eater's stepped ominously over the debris.

"Your side…" Ron gasped, looking at me worriedly. I barely made eye contact as I tried to catch my breath, but I waved off his concern.

"We have bigger things to worry about." I assured, readying my wand as the dust cleared. A few more seconds and they'd be able to see us. A few more seconds, and we may just die.

Those seconds felt like hours.

"Stupefy!"

The sudden shout startled us. It wasn't us. And none of us were stunned, which meant it wasn't the Death Eaters either. I watched as one of them dropped down, his wand spinning half away across the room. Ginny ran, grabbing it quickly and snapping it on her knee before hustling back to us.

"Smart thinking," I panted, cold sweat dotting my hairline.

"Thanks," She smiled quickly, her chest heaving as she wiped the dirt from her cheek, succeeding only in smearing it towards her ear. We both turned to watch the desecrated doorway as the remaining Death Eaters filed back out of the room and the sounds of another battle filled in the now empty space.

I looked to Ron for a moment before we ran to the used-to-be door. The flashes of spells being fired left and right blinded us for a moment before we made out the familiar figures of Tonks and Lupin.

"How did they know?"

"Does it matter?"

"We have to help!"

"We have to find the others!"

The voices began blending together as joining the fray became the only option for me. I couldn't find Alyssa if I died here and now. I couldn't know that she was alright if I let these assholes get the better of me.

It felt like the fighting lasted hours; like we'd only moved a few feet when I actually found myself in a strange room on the other side of the department.

I watched in horror, tears welling in my eyes, as Sirius disappeared behind the black veil. I shouted, dreading every second as I waited for him to reappear. Harry yelled too, his voice echoing in my mind like a ghost. The atmosphere was haunting, almost seeping right into my bones as time simply stopped around us.

He never re-emerged. He was simply…gone. Gone. It didn't even seem like a real word. None of this felt real. It was a dream; it had to have been. Sirius couldn't be _gone_.

I dazed out – if someone had asked me, I wouldn't have been able to recall what happened within the next ten minutes. I wouldn't be able to tell them how we came to detain the Death Eaters, or how many of them escaped despite this. The only thing I could have confirmed would be that the two Death Eaters I'd witnessed earlier definitely had not been laughing. And they hadn't been laughing because they'd been too shocked by their intended victims.

Ian and Isabel had tried to kill us. And they very nearly succeeded.

Perhaps, in a sense, they did.


	26. Chapter 26

_******AN: **_**That's it! We're done! Thank you to everyone who read and commented! We're so happy we could finish and we hope you enjoyed reading our work as much as we loved writing it! :) 3**

* * *

><p><em><strong>133<strong>_

_**Alyssa**_

After everything that had happened, I felt like the first thing I needed to do was to get myself some therapy. And to find Taylor.

Which was more than likely the same thing.

After the unmasking, everything was a blur. I remember briefly that Harry bolted out of the room after a screeching Bellatrix Lestrange, sending spells after her. I remember Dumbledore following swiftly. But everything else is a faint memory.

When my brain started processing things properly, we were in the Atrium, surrounded by Mediwizards and reporters, as well as Ministry workers who were astounded by the level of damage that sure as hell had not been there when they had left work for the day. And when the gossip that Voldemort had been spotted by the Minister himself just seconds before Disapparating away got out, people went nuts.

When we were deemed fixed and sort-of healthy, a Portkey was arranged and we were all sent back to Hogsmeade. Professor McGonagall was waiting for us, and she had us ushered up to the castle. I noticed that Harry was not among us, but didn't't question it at the time.

Snape was waiting in the Entrance Hall for me. No doubt, being my Head of House, he was obliged to make sure I was mentally stable. The others were walked to their dormitories, and he went with me.

"I'm sorry you didn't't know about your parents. It must have been a very unpleasant shock."

I didn't't question the fact that somehow, he knew before everyone else about my parents; only nodded.

The rest of the walk was spent in silence, and he bid me goodnight in the Common Room after telling me that I didn't need to be in class the next day.

I collapsed on the couch, and cried. Cried for the unfairness of all that had happened, cried that the weight of the nights happenings had only now fallen on me, cried because I didn't know what to do. _Both_of my parents had been arrested for being Death Eaters.

I was fifteen; how was I supposed to go home and support myself?

* * *

><p>When I woke up in the morning, I was still on the couch, everyone gone, and with a blanket over me.<p>

"Well, that certainly could've gone better."

Sprawled in the arm chair, his hair a mess, a black eye, beaten to the pulp and still somehow looking like he owned the place, was Drake. His arms were crossed and he was wearing normal clothing. I didn't understand.

"You know, you threw me to the sharks yesterday, and somehow I still had a little bit of sympathy left in my heart to get a blanket for you so that you wouldn't die of hypothermia last night. What's more, I watched you beat one of my friends to the ground like an assassin, and I don't know whether to be in shock or awe that you are one tough bitch."

"If you're trying to butter me up over what happened, it's only slightly working." I sat up, wrapping the blanket around me. The night's event filtered through my mind briefly, and I felt weighed down.

"I heard about what happened last night."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. Your parents ended up being Death Eaters."

"Yeah. Your dad was one, too."

He sighed, looking down at his hands. "Yeah, I know. I always knew. Mother's distraught that it's gone public now; wants me to come home. Said you could stay with us until this mess gets sorted out."

"That sounds tempting. I don't want to end up being in a house by myself, working to keep it. Maybe I can talk to the Ministry, swing something."

He laughed hoarsely. He sounded tired, like he'd been up all night.

"You don't sound mad that I let Taylor beat you up."

"I am; I'm holding it in. She disfigured my perfect face." I laughed, a sound that seemed foreign to the situation.

"Why aren't't you in class?"

"Not like there's anything important going on." He shrugged, and I got up, keeping the blanket wrapped tightly around me as I made my way to sit with him. He wrapped his arms around me, and I laid my head on his chest, feeling only a little better.

"I'm scared, Drake."

As we sat there, listening to the quiet of the Common Room, the only sound being our heartbeats, he said the one thing I hadn't expected him to say.

"_Me too.__"_

* * *

><p>Exams finished, students relished in being outdoors, June was almost finished. We had made it out of our Fifth year slightly unscathed. But we had all lost someone important to us.<p>

My parents were awaiting trial and sentencing; their current plea was that they had been under the Imperius curse. I thought that it was bullshit; but the little girl inside of me hoped that it could be true.

As the days passed, our last days were quickly ending. I was packing my trunk, making sure that I had everything, when I noticed my journal. Curious to read some past entries from this year, I opened it. After glancing through it, I found the entry I'd made about my 'fortune' dream.

_A development in a matter that you have wondered about for many years will come to you in due time. Heartbreak will confuse you about every thing you have ever questioned. A betrayal beyond anything you've ever felt will soon be put into place._

I furrowed my brow, thinking about it.

_A development__…__Could that be about my parents? Heartbreak__…__That didn't__'__t end up being about Draco like I__'__d predicted. Wait, is that when I thought she__'__d died on the plane? And a betrayal__…_

As I thought about it, I realized that two of the three had ended up being true. But the third, a betrayal, had yet to happen.

I felt chills course through my body, and I slammed my journal shut before shoving it into the bottom of my trunk, buried under my clothes.

* * *

><p>"There you are. Took you long enough." Students were trickling out of the Common Room slowly, dragging their trunks behind them. Many were saying good bye already. Draco was leaning against the wall, his things nearby.<p>

"Sorry. Got preoccupied with… Something." I decided not to mention my journal to him, deciding that if it was important in the near future, I would say something.

"We should get going. Don't want to miss the train." I smiled, kissing him softly, much to the disgust of a couple First Years girls who made an 'eeww'sound before running past us. I laughed.

"Are you going to sit in our compartment this time? I'd be nice if you didn't't leave me to deal with Pansy by myself." He grimaced as he grabbed his things.

"I'll do it half-an-half. I'd feel bad leaving you by yourself. Maybe we can gross out the others so bad they leave." I winked, laughing when he went a little pink in the cheeks.

"So," He coughed, changing the subject as we left. "It's been an interesting year, hasn't it?"

I scoffed. "Yeah. I think I shouted more angry words at everyone this year alone than I ever have. Honestly, it's amazing I haven't killed anyone yet."

"That's for sure." I shot him a look. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Bloody hell."

In the Entrance, Taylor was waiting, along with Harry and the others.

"I'll meet up with you in a bit, alright?" I kissed him quickly, shooing him away before meeting them.

"Seriously, do you _have_to do that around us? It's bad enough we have to hear you talk about him," Ron grimaced.

"Yes Ronald. I love spiting you." I grinned, looking at Taylor. "Are you ready to leave? I bet all these memories will have faded into the walls by the time we come back as Sixth Years."

"Let them. From being thrown into walls, almost dying on a plane, and dealing with a hag of a demon, I've had enough entertainment to last me a while." On the word _entertainment,_Harry and her exchanged a look.

"What? What am I missing?"

"Oh, nothing. Just… a party to die for." She laughed, and took up her trunk. A cage was strapped to it, and from within, I could hear a cat mewling. Salem had gone with Draco, while he had gone to sit with Crabbe and Goyle to save me a seat; a fact which Pansy would not like. At all.

"Well… Let's go." I sighed. I was going home for the summer to an empty house. With any luck, I'd end up staying with Draco like his mother had suggested.

"It'll be fine." Taylor reassured me, as we walked out the doors for the last time, at least for another three months.

I looked up at the castle, wishing that September would come quicker. As I brushed my hair back from my face, my bracelet touched my cheek, and I rubbed it between my forefinger and thumb, watching the only charm on it glimmer in the early sun. This year _had_been interesting, that was for sure. A year for a lot of firsts; I had fought with Taylor more times than I could count on one hand, I had snagged the biggest douche bag for a boyfriend and was loving it, and somehow I was still alive.

"Yeah… Maybe it will be."

* * *

><p><em><strong>134<strong>_

_**Taylor**_

"Soooo…." I drawled, staring out the window on the train. There was so much to look at, but I wasn't really seeing anything. "I heard Draco offered to let you stay with him this summer."

Alyssa shifted in her on-again-off-again seat, having taken a short break from her boyfriend's car to visit us boring folk. It was just the two of us; Hermione having gone to see Neville and Luna, and Ron and Harry off buying sweets somewhere. She brushed a piece of hair out of her face and nodded.

"Yeah, he said his mum would love to have me, so I figured – why not?"

"Uh, maybe because he's only been your boyfriend for a few months and my Dad loves you a lot more than his mother does?" I'd wondered, after all this time, why she hadn't considered staying with me.

It's not petty jealousy. It's just jealousy. That may be a bit petty. That's all.

Her eyes widened a small degree and she shrugged.

"I hadn't really thought about it. He just offered, and I guess I just got excited."

I pursed my lips and mulled it over. It wasn't as though I'd been the 'best' of friends this year; but I wasn't a terrible friend either, right? Why hadn't she thought to stay

"Was that an offer?" Alyssa asked, a small grin playing on her lips.

"To be honest," I sighed, looking to her. "I didn't think I _needed_ to offer. I sort of assumed you'd know that our door is always open; that you'd – you know – just…come home." I gave a shrug of my own. Her lips upturned into a full smile as she got off the bench and switched sides. She sat beside me and rested her head on my shoulder, her hair tickling my neck.

"I do miss your dad." She chuckled, playing with my finger nails.

"So you'll stay with us?" I asked, maybe a little too hopefully. I felt her reposition her head and curl in a little closer.

"Yeah," She grinned.

"Thank you," I kissed her head softly, resting mine on top of hers.

"I missed you." She said quietly. The simplest of words, but I knew what she meant. We hadn't really been ourselves around each other this year. We'd been defensive, possessive, aggressive – a whole bunch of 'ive's. But the year was over. We were done. We could go back, think about how stupid we acted, rejoice and celebrate our survival, and maybe have a – very delayed – dual-birthday party.

Maybe her parents were going to Azkaban. Maybe something would happen and we couldn't return to Hogwarts the next year. Maybe we'd die before the summer

ended. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

The only absolute is she wouldn't be alone.

"Me too."


End file.
